Twenty-Six
by untitledmind
Summary: Twenty-six glimpses into the Pokéshipping dynamic. AAML Alphabet challenge. Rated T. Chapter 12 is rated M. Cover photo is Ash's and Misty's hair done in Sharpie because I was bored. Read and review! :)
1. One: Astute

**You know what I love? Alphabet challenges.**

** This first one is simply a drabble, but some of the coming ones will be longer. Please forgive me for such a short work. It kind of just came to me and I was like, "Huh, yeah, alright. This is done. Better post it!" So, um, yeah. On with the show. Enjoy the first of twenty-six drabble-esque oneshots in this installment!**

** Reviews make writers happy. :3 **

* * *

_**Astute**_

"Ash, you're such a dumbass." The seventeen-year-old rolled his eyes at the girl who had just taken his red king and moved his pawn to the next square on the checkerboard.

"Yeah, well you're no prize yourself."

"Excuse me," Misty rolled her eyes, flicking her black pawn in the opposite direction, "but I happen to know plenty of people who think I am three times as smart as you."

Ash scoffed and jumped the king Misty had apparently forgotten about. "Please, I'm your only friend. There's no way you actually talk to other people enough to know what they think."

Misty glared at her captive king, absently moving another checker piece. "We're not friends, Ash."

Ash shot her a scathing look and jumped her last piece. Misty sweatdropped.

"I win."

He rose from the dining room chair and shot Misty a final smirk before retreating to the living room to lounge on the couch with Pikachu. Misty could only stare at the checkerboard. She had never lost a game before.

_I wonder how he won..._

"Ash!" she called as she stepped into the adjacent room. "How did you... well, _you know_...?" Ash looked up from Pikachu who was contentedly purring in his master's lap as Misty took a seat on the lounge chair a few feet away.

"How did I what? Win?" Misty winced at his last word but nodded nonetheless. Ash cackled evilly.

"You're just mad because for the first time in your life, someone beat you in a game of wits, or whatever that stupid checker game is about." Misty looked away, busying her eyes with the countless knickknacks Delia had decorated the quaint room with.

"Fine, you're ignoring me. Well, it's not like we're _friends_ or anything, like you said, so I guess I shouldn't have expected anything else," Ash airily commented, reaching for the television remote.

However, this caught Misty's attention at once. She smacked her forehead. _He's _such_ a_ _dumbass._

"Ash, you're not my friend." Misty didn't pause to see the pout spread across his lips. "You're my boyfriend, you idiot. Did you not realize it by the whole, I don't know, _going on dates and making out and being in love_ thing?"

This, of course, seemed to cheer Ash up immensely. Pikachu jumped out of Ash's lap to avoid being crushed by the incoming red-head who was surely going to sit on top of his trainer. His long ears perked up and his little body shivered in anticipation of what vile activity was probably coming next. He hopped off the couch and ran out into the garden to find _anything_ to busy himself with.

Misty, now sitting atop Ash with muscular legs wrapped around his waist, made no hesitation in thumping his forehead.

One of the last thoughts she could really remember before a familiar pair of lips was upon her was something along the lines of how he was smart enough to win a game of checkers but not astute enough to understand really anything regarding anyone.

_Oh well, at least he's good at what he's doing right now._


	2. Two: Bleeding

**Ha, I updated! I have accomplished the goal I set out for myself today. Today is a good day. **

**This one is longer than the last one, thankfully. I rather like it, personally. It's almost...ambiguous, in a weird way. I'm probably the only one who thinks so, though, considering I am the one who created this one-shot.**

**Ash and Misty are nineteenish (I think that's what I said) and I imagine Delia is in her early forties/late thirties. Also you can decide if Ash and Misty are romantically involved at this point for I have not made it clear because I couldn't decide. I didn't want to be influenced by it this time.**

**Please forgive the grammar and writing mistakes I inadvertently overlooked and enjoy this next installment of my alphabet collection! :)**

* * *

_**Bleeding**_

Delia Ketchum hummed happily as she scrubbed the already-clean dishes in her sink. She handed a soap-filled plate to the younger red-headed girl next to her before glancing out the kitchen window at her grown up son pushing a lawn mower around her front lawn while Mimey and Pikachu chatted happily, pulling weeds in the not-visible back garden.

_He really is becoming a man_.

Delia sighed.

"Is something wrong, Mrs. Ketchum?" Delia glanced at the teenager and smiled swiftly.

"Nothing, dear, nothing. I'm just watching Ash. He really is growing up."

Nineteen-year-old Ash Ketchum, shirtless and sweaty, had stopped the lawn mower, pushing it to the corner of the yard. He left it there, with less than zero intentions to put it away in the shed behind the house where it belonged. Upon relieving himself of his chore, Ash promptly walked to the center of the green grass and sprawled out flat on the ground. His chest visibly rose with tired breaths.

Misty blushed lightly.

"You know, Misty, I remember a time when that boy was just a little baby, lying in his crib, cooing at all the stuffed Pokémon toys I managed to round up for him. I'd pick him up, hold him and hug him, and everything would be right in the world. It didn't matter that I was the only one raising him."

Delia dried her soapy hands on the towel hanging off the oven and took a seat in one of the adjacent chairs. Misty followed suit and when she sat down, she caught a glimpse of what looked like nostalgia in the golden brown gaze she received.

The same colored eyes she saw every night in her dreams.

"I was never alone, Misty, as long as I had Ash." Delia sighed again and rested her chin in her hands as she leaned over the table to look at the greenish sea-colored eyes of the fiery teen. "But he went away, eventually. And one day, he brought you.

"And since Ash has you, _I _have you." Misty's ears perked up and she tilted her head.

"What do you mean, Mrs. Ketchum?"

Misty was confused, to say the least. Of course Delia had her. Why state the obvious? What with never even getting to know her parents before they died and traveling across the land with Ash, she had never really had a mother figure, save for Delia. Who else would take such a feisty girl under her wing?

Misty glanced through the window at Ash, who had somehow been sucked into having a conversation with a passing Gary Oak on the sidewalk. It looked friendly at first, until Gary said something that had apparently made Ash's back tense.

"You're like a daughter to me, Misty. I love you."

Misty sat up straight, eyes widened. Delia smiled warmly back at her and placed a soft hand over Misty's on the table.

"Mrs. Ketchum-"

"Delia, sweetheart."

"Right, I-"

Misty's response was lost as both women happened to glance out the window at the same time.

Delia jumped up from the table and darted to the front door, Misty hot on her heels.

Before them, in the middle of Delia Ketchum's perfect garden, her "grown up" son and the equally grown up Gary were throwing blows in the dirt.

The two boys were stuck in a tussle with Ash flat on the ground and Gary on top of him. As the females approached the scene, Ash summoned the strength to roll the both of them over and proceeded to deliver a well-aimed fist right into Gary's eye.

"Stop this right now!" Delia shouted sternly.

Both boys looked at the brunette and paused instantly. Ash was hovering over a stunned Gary, nose crimson with blood, left hand gripping the now-researcher's collar, right hand ready to deliver another punch.

"Ash Ketchum, get yourself inside right this instant!" his mother cried, folding her harms over her chest and leaning heavily on her right hip. Misty subconsciously mirrored her position.

"But-!"

"No buts, mister!" This time, the scold came from the younger girl. "Get inside!" Misty unfolded her arms and pointed to the front door. The bloodied boy stood up, avoiding Gary's eyes as he made his way inside. Red trails of blood dripped swiftly from his nose to his chin.

Gary rose as well, and Delia hurried over to him.

"It looks like the worst of it is a black eye, Gary, and you'll have some nasty bruises for a little while," Delia commented, lightly examining his angular face with her thin fingers. "Head home to your grandfather and put some ice on your eye. Now why were you fighting? I thought you were friends now!" Gary scoffed.

"Please, Mrs. K., Ashy-boy and I will never be _friends_, really. Just...acquaintances." Gary thanked Delia for looking at his eye and promptly stepped off the Ketchum property, returning down the path he came, hands shoved casually in his pockets.

Misty was already inside with Ash by the time Delia had finished with Gary.

"Ash?"

"Yeah?" he replied quietly. Misty noted a nasally edge to his voice.

"I think you broke your nose."

"_Gary_ broke my nose," Ash corrected, wiping the blood off his face. "Think you could fix it? I can never do it myself."

Ash, Misty, and Brock had had to deal with several minor injuries in their adventures abroad. This wasn't Ash's first broken nose.

"So _Gary_ started that fight?" she asked skeptically, walking over to where he was standing, bleeding over the empty side of the kitchen sink.

"Well, what he _said_ started it. I guess I threw the first punch. Just put my nose back into place already, please?" Ash sighed tiredly.

"Fine."

Misty firmly grabbed the taller boy's nose. She ignored his apprehensive wince.

"One."

"Two."

They made heavy eye contact.

"Three."

A sickening crunch echoed in the kitchen, along with Ash's grunt. He stepped away from Misty and rubbed his nose painfully. He'd never get used to that one.

"Ash, what happened?" Misty retrieved a rag from under the sink and dampened it under the faucet. Ash made to reach for it but she swatted his hand away and gingerly pushed him into kitchen chair and began to dab at the dried blood on his face.

"Gary said something." Misty rolled her eyes.

"I'm intelligent enough to gather that much on my own!"

"Well if you're so smart, maybe you should just _know_ what happened!" Ash snapped back. Misty rubbed his face a little harder.

"Obviously you know that's not what I mea-"

"He said I don't treat you right," Ash cut her off. Misty, who was still leaning over him stopped rubbing the cloth on his face immediately.

"What?"

"He said I'm not good enough for you. But I am good enough. No one else is better! I never want to see you with anyone else! So... I decked him," Ash reasoned. Misty had to admit Ash was right. There was no one better.

There was a silence in which Misty's teal eyes met Ash's brown for a lengthy moment.

Once Misty had finished cleaning the blood off Ash's face, she discarded the soiled rag in the table and helped him up from the chair. Not letting go of his hand, she enveloped him in a tight hug.

Ash turned his head and set his cheek on the top of her hair while she buried her face in his warm neck, forgetting to remember that he was shirtless.

Misty pulled back first, smiling sweetly at Ash.

"Go get dressed. Let's get something to eat."

Ash smiled at her and took off into the living room and up the stairs.

Misty walked into the living room and sat down on the couch next to a smirking Delia. Pikachu and Mr. Mime had also come inside during all the commotion and the electricity-ridden Pokemon sat comfortably on Delia's shoulder.

"Pikachupi?"

Misty smiled at the creature and opened her arms, inviting him to her. He jumped off Delia and hopped into Misty's arms. She scratched his forehead.

"Pika-chuuu," he sighed happily.

"That feels good, doesn't it?" Misty giggled. Delia watched her and giggled in return.

The giggles stopped and the atmosphere around the women was suddenly less bubbly.

"Delia?" Misty queried, still scratching Pikachu as his purrs vibrated her lap. That name felt awfully foreign on her lips.

"Hm?"

_I'm in love with a bleeding boy and his mother stole my bleeding heart._

"I love you too."


	3. Three: Complicated

**Here's the not-long awaited D one-shot! If it wasn't already clear, the events in this alphabet challenge are all unrelated unless I say so. Currently, I don't say so, but if I do, I will let you readers know!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_**Complicated**_

He always made things so complicated.

Actually, Misty thought, she was probably the more complicated one out of the two of them. Ash's life consisted of Pokémon and food while Misty's consisted of constant gym battles, water Pokémon, and wondering just why she was placed on this planet, who she was placed by, if Ash loved her, and if she was going to need to buy anymore tampons soon. But it's not like Ash was the simplest man in the world. No, certainly not. For example, it's not like he _simply_ _told_ Misty his feelings for her. So when he was out of town and boys came up to Misty hoping for a date, just what was she supposed to say?

"Oh, sorry, I'm, um, it's, uh... It's, er..._complicated_. Thanks though!"

Yeah, that usually worked pretty well. She'd smile nervously and then dash away.

At the age of eleven, Misty had developed a crush on Ash.

At the age of thirteen, Misty left Ash (and Brock) to tend to her family's gym.

Over the next couple of years, Ash visited occasionally and every time he did, they would have more and more fun together. Around age fifteen, "fun" became kissing and cuddling and holding hands and, well, a lot more making out than the previous amount which was strictly _none_.

And now at nearly seventeen, they acted like a couple. But were they? Misty wasn't exactly sure what they were. Did this mean that he wasn't seeing other people? Did he have another girl on the side for every region he visited?

_Okay, that's not likely. Ash isn't like that. _

Misty was sure that despite his general density, his actions spoke louder than his few words on the subject. For example, just seven months ago, he had briefly returned to Kanto and shown up on her doorstep. As soon as Misty swung the door open, he'd nearly knocked her over with the force of his kiss. He then said, "Hiya, Mist. Let's go get some cheeseburgers! I'm starved!"

Misty had no objections and she had happily picked up Pikachu from where he was standing next to Ash on the porch and skipped away.

But now, as she waited for his impending visit once again, she wasn't so sure. Having known Ash for several years, she thought she'd be able to decipher him better than this, but she really had no idea. She had tried to talk to Daisy about it when she woke up on the day of his arrival, but that went no differently than usual.

* * *

Daisy glanced at the clock. 11:55.

_It's never too early for a drink_, she reasoned. She saw the sleepy Misty who had obviously just wandered out of bed enter the kitchen.

"Morning, baby sis!" she cried, pouring herself a glass of coconut rum.

"Daisy?" Misty rubbed her forehead. It seemed to Daisy she'd been awake for far longer than she'd been out of bed. "Can I ask you something?" Daisy sipped her drink and nodded.

"Isn't it a little early for liquor?" Daisy giggled at her sister.

"It's five o'clock somewhere, Misty."

"Of course it is," Misty muttered. "But do you think Ash likes me? Like, _really_ likes me? _Love-likes_ me? And do you think he's just too dumb to tell me so he just treats me like his girlfriend? Maybe he doesn't realize that you have to define the relationship."

"He hasn't DTR-ed?" Daisy gasped, horrified. "Misty, he HAS to DTR! Otherwise he could just be with any girl he wants!" Misty rolled her eyes.

"Daisy, you're so dumb."

"Maybe you should just, like, go read this month's _Cosmo_. That always makes me feel better." Misty rested her head in her hand and leaned against the counter.

"Already read this month's," she dejectedly told her sister.

"Hmm, well, Misty maybe you're, like, just worrying about this too much."

"What are you saying?" Daisy took a rather large gulp of her drink, as if preparing herself for what she was going to say to her younger sister next.

"I'm saying that it, like, shouldn't even matter."

"What?"

Daisy downed the rest of her drink before replying with a totally straight face, "It's not like you're in love with the guy or anything."

"That's a sick joke, Daisy."

The oldest Waterflower laughed melodically and retrieved a small shot glass from the cupboard. She filled it nearly to the top and pushed it with her manicured nails over to where Misty sat at the kitchen counter's bar.

"Drink up, little sister."

* * *

Misty tidied up her bedroom in anticipation of Ash's arrival later that day. She was positive they'd end up in there eventually. Of course, Ash would probably want something to eat as soon as he got there. By the time he would be done, he'd be ready to go swimming in the gym's pool. And then he'd be so tired that he'd pass out on the couch. And then he'd probably wake up in the middle of the night and visit with Misty.

Or "visit" with Misty. It could go either way.

.

Around eleven that night, after hours of talking, teasing, and splashing around with the Pokémon in the pool, Ash was just as tired as Misty had previously predicted. The pair was sitting close together on the living room couch of the adjoining apartment to the Cerulean Gym watching _The Princess Bride _(a movie that Ash could watch over and over again, for some odd reason). Pikachu slumbered in on the chair next to the teenagers and Ash slung an arm around her shoulders before absorbing himself in the movie and passing out not fifteen minutes later. Misty rolled her eyes and threw his arm off her. She stood up, turned off the television, and picked up Ash's legs so she could throw them on the couch. Knowing he'd sleep through anything, she grabbed the pillow she'd been holding in her lap and threw it at his chest. Careful not to wake the adorable Pikachu, she grabbed the afghan off the back of his chair and draped it over Ash's face. Satisfied with her work, Misty took one last look at her sleeping boyfr—lover—_friend_?

The redhead sighed. She still had no idea.

As she trudged up the stairs, she felt the waves of sleepiness crashing upon her.

_Man, Ash really wears me out. I guess that's what happens when you feel the tasking emotion of love for someone who's already so high-energy._

She made her way past her sisters' rooms—she really didn't want to know who was making the muffled moans on the other side of the wall, but had a sickening feeling it was Violet and her unnamed lover who were right next door to her—and scurried into her own room before promptly disrobing and changing nto her night clothes. Considering the August heat was very unkind to Cerulean (but kind to the eyes of the men scoping out the city's beach babes), she simply slept in a sports bra and her most comfortable pair of workout shorts.

However, as soon as her head hit one of the fluffy pillows on her full mattress, the sound of a knock reached her ears. She muttered several profanities as she flipped a lamp on, opened the door, and growled a dangerous, "What?"

Ash Ketchum sheepishly rubbed the back of his hatless head and blushed upon seeing her lack of clothing.

"Is that what you...sleep in?" Misty looked down.

"A sports bra and shorts? What's wrong with that?" Misty caught a glimpse of something delightfully strange in Ash's lowly illuminated eyes.

"Nothing, it's just-"

"Ash, you know how I like to dress. Especially in the summertime. It's _hot_ and I just want to sleep, alright?" Misty cut him off abruptly.

"No, I mean-"

"And if you think you can tell me what I can and cannot do, well, you are in for a big surprise, mister!"

"I have such a sexy girlfriend."

Ash's hands were grazing the exposed skin of her hips and his lips were on hers before she could say anything else. He kicked the door close with his heel before feeling himself be pushed backward onto Misty's bed. Misty jumped on top of him.

"Come on, Mr. Pokémon Master, let's have a little fun before we go to sleep," she winked. Ash gulped and smiled widely before his lover added, "but a little less fun than whoever's screaming with Violet in the next room over."

Ash's smile faltered almost imperceptibly. Misty rolled her eyes before leaning down to kiss him again. There was no way she was just letting him have it after months upon months of not knowing if he was even her boyfriend.

Misty sighed into his mouth.

_One day, Ashy-boy, when you're a little less of a dumbass and a just little bit wiser._

* * *

**Ash is such a boy sometimes. But Misty is pretty stubborn. XD Besides, I don't blame Misty for feeling like Ash was hard to figure out. As girls, even the simplest of boys confuse us sometimes. :)**

**Also as you may have noticed, I have a certain affinity with Misty calling people "dumbass," specifically Ash. Interestingly enough, however, that is not the prompt for D. XD **

**[Spoiler Alert] The next prompt is "drunk", I'd love to take a request on this one! Drunk is fun to write. If you have an idea, let me know, and maybe I'll either use it or somehow incorporate it into the next one-shot! Happy reviewing! :3**

**P.S. I hope the sort of flashbacky thing with Misty and Daisy was smooth enough.**


	4. Four: Drunk

**Good evening (teehee, it's like midnight right now), readers! I have your next chapter right here, ready to read! It got longer than I'd expected and I didn't get to the actual point of the prompt for a while, but I know from experience that many readers certainly don't mind longer pieces. ;) hopefully you readers agree! A few notes before you get started though:**

**- I didn't edit this. Like at all. I added my line breaks (hopefully. As long as you don't see "(line)" anywhere, we're good) and now I'm posting. I'm just waving my arms saying, "Look at all the fucks I give!" Really. I'm that spent. XD I'm sorry I'm such a bitchy pottymouth. I still love you.**

**Yes, you. All of you.**

**And, um, I'll include the last couple of things at the end. Wouldn't want to spoil anything even remotely minor. ;D Read on, ladies and gentlemen! :)**

* * *

**_Drunk_**

Ash Ketchum, twenty-three years old, Pokémon Master, truly enjoyed Kanto League conventions. They were held in a different spot every year, they made for great vacation excuses, and they were a great chance to whisk away his beautiful wife who also had to attend the conventions, Misty Waterflower. Well, Misty Ketchum. Being the preoccupied mind he was, Ash occasionally forgot her last name, which as Misty had pointed out more than once, should be really hard to do considering it was the same as his own. The last time he had made this mistake was when the mail carrier told him that there was a letter for a Misty Ketchum rather than a Misty Waterflower. Ash, of course, laughed in his face and shut the door on the poor man.

Misty Ketchum, on the other hand _hated _League conventions. They were full of League officials, boring meetings, and stupid rules, like no public displays of affection in the janitors' closet of the convention center, which was completely ridiculous. It's not like the affection displayed in there was _public_. Then again, Misty had to remind herself, she was an adult, her husband was the Pokémon Master of all people, and she had to act like a grown up. Really though, she acted like a grown up _all the time_. This convention was supposed to be her vacation, so why not have a little fun?

This year, the League was holding the Kanto Convention in the Seafoam Islands, which was really a score for Ash and Misty who were looking for a perfect vacation spot. The three-day convention would consist of gym leaders, trainers, officials, and countless people who were otherwise involved with the league discussing strategies, income, Pokémon, and the upcoming Pokémon League tournament. They were a way to sort of "be friendly" with fellow members who worked abroad. Misty thought the whole thing was a complete waste of time considering it was the same thing every year and Ash figured it was a wonderful way to make friends and use teamwork to solve League problems.

Or something like that. Misty never really listened when he went on about conventions.

* * *

Upon arriving to the Seafoam Islands one afternoon a day prior to the convention, the first thing Ash and Misty did was check in to the fabulous hotel in which the League was housing everyone. The Pokémon Master and his gym leader wife had automatically been reserved a suite, so the couple trudged with their bags to the nearest elevator.

"You'd think such a fancy hotel would have a freaking bellboy ready to help you carry all four of your wife's bags," Ash grunted, miraculously pulling along Misty's four suitcases as well as his own suitcase. Misty, on the other hand, leisurely walked in front of him, cradling Pikachu in her arms. She looked back over her shoulder, sunglasses falling from the crown of her head to her face.

"What was that, Ash?" she asked, pushing her glasses back up.

"Nothing," he gritted.

Misty giggled before setting Pikachu down so she could push the button to call the elevator down. As soon as he hopped out of her arms, he licked her exposed calf and smiled up at her.

"Pikachupi, pika pikachu!"

"I'm excited to be on vacation too, Pikapal!" Misty winked at the small Pokémon,

"Pi pikapi," Pikachu sympathetically acknowledged his master who had walked up right as the elevator doors dinged and opened. Ash rolled his eyes at his long-time friend.

"Yeah, yeah, poor me, Pikachu. Poor me." Pikachu hopped onto Ash's hatted head and giggled.

"Pikachupi pika!"

"I know, you love Misty more than me. No need to remind me every day."

"Ash, you know that's not what he said!" Misty scolded as she helped Ash pull the bags into the elevator.

"Oh please, you can't understand him! How would you know?" Ash pressed the black button with a golden eleven on it.

Misty folded her arms and responded hotly, "Unlike you, I happen to be very intuitive when it comes to living creatures and their feelings! I can sense what Pikachu is saying, more or less."

"So you guess."

Misty whacked her husband in the face with her white handbag as the elevator released them.

"Room number 11-72? Why 11-72? That's a dumb number!" Ash exclaimed, handling the five suitcases as Pikachu scampered ahead of him and Misty looking for the room. Misty sighed tiredly.

"Ash, we're on the eleventh floor and they decided to add a seventy-two to the end of it. That's just the way it is, alright?"

"Pikapi!"

Ash's followup question of "Why, Mist?" was cut short when they caught sight of Ash's starter at the end of the hallway, pointing at a brown door in front of him.

"Cool, we're here!" Misty rolled her eyes at her husband.

"Yes, we're here. Now let me open the damn door and get inside so I don't have to watch you pathetically carry those bags." Ash wordlessly sidestepped his wife and let her pass. Misty pulled the room key, a credit card-like object, and unlocked the door.

Upon entering, Ash threw the bags down on the king-sized bed and collapsed on the floor.

"There's a bed _right there_, Ashton."

"Do you even know for sure if that's my full name?" Misty was quiet for a second. Honestly, she wasn't sure. She had never asked him or Delia. "Besides," he continued, without waiting for an answer, "I like the ground."

"That's floor, Ash. Not ground."

"Whatever."

Misty stepped over the man which was admittedly not easy, considering he placed himself in the aisle between the foot of the bed and the refrigerator.

"Get your lazy ass off the fucking ground, Ash!" Ash looked up at her wickedly and stretched his legs.

"I thought this was floor, Mist." Misty's head felt like it was expanding to three times its normal size. Ash caught noticed the signs of her impending explosion and decided he didn't really want to ruin their getaway before it really started. He got up from the floor and pulled her into his arms.

"Awe, come on, you know I was just messin' with you, Mist!" Misty wiggled out of his embrace and huffed.

"I can't be with you right now, Ash Ketchum! I love you more than anything, but I swear on a baby Togepi's life, the next words you speak very well could be your last!" she yelled vehemently.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" the Pokémon Master put his hands up in defense.

"Good!" Misty declared. She faced away from him as she removed her green v-neck top, slipped off her flip-flops, and unbuttoned her denim shorts.

"Um, Misty?"

"Yes, Ashton?" she calmly answered, pulling down her shorts to reveal purple underwear to match her purple bra.

"Wh—what are you doing?" Misty turned around to look at him as she unclasped her bra.

"Taking my clothes off." Ash gulped.

"Wh—why?"

"So I can take a shower, dumbass."

She removed the the last piece of her clothing, winked, and turned away from him once again to walk butt naked to the bathroom.

"And don't even _think_ about interrupting me. You know how I feel about the steam being let out of the shower."

Ash gulped again and took a deep breath.

"She'll be in there for a while," he muttered to himself, ignoring the fact that Pikachu was sitting in an arm chair with Misty's purse, undoubtedly looking for packets of ketchup. "Guess I'd better unpack some of this stuff."

Ash Ketchum took one look at the five bags, grinned goofily, and took off toward the bathroom, discarding his clothing as he went.

"Babe, I need to, um, come inside." Failing to come up with a good excuse rather than just wanting some afternoon delight, Ash barged in and silently reminded himself to shut the door behind him, eliminating the loss of shower steam.

Maybe Misty would be more willing to have sex if he didn't piss her off anymore.

* * *

The first day of the convention, Ash and Misty rose early to get there on time. Misty picked out a a gray suit for Ash (he really hated suits) and she donned one of her gym leader outfits. Not the blue bikini Ash loved so much, but a rather modest tight yellow and blue outfit. However, Ash thought his wife was even more beautiful for not showing off her body to the world (other men).

Then again, Ash thought she was always beautiful.

Except that one time she had the flu. Getting thrown up on is a huge turn off.

So, the couple laced their fingers together and walked down the hall, Pikachu loyally perched on his master's shoulder.

"Misty?" Ash queried, allowing his wife to step in the elevator first. He smiled at her before continuing, "I like your gym outfit." Misty giggled.

"I know, babe."

"Why do I have to wear this suit anyway and you get to wear that?" Ash gestured to Misty's less-than-formal attire with a tilt of his head.

"Because," she dutifully replied, leaning her head on Ash's free shoulder, "I am simply a gym leader. You're the Master. You have to recognizable. That's why I'm letting you wear your hat." Misty pointed to his original Pokémon League hat that was carefully placed over his messy hair. "Everyone knows you because of your hats. Besides, they want the gym leaders to wear their usual attire so it doesn't throw off tourists and trainers when they come to the convention."

Ash grumbled something about ties that suffocated him and people who usually battled in a blue bikini.

"Ash, I'd think you'd be used to wearing something nice by now. The League makes you dress up every time you have a meeting, a paperwork day, and-"

"Misty, I _like_ wearing trainer gear!" he interrupted, ushering her out of the elevator. The trio headed to the front doors of the hotel.

"-I think you look _wonderful_ in them," Misty continued, as if not even hearing Ash's interjection. She squeezed her husband's hand and winked at him. His tan cheeks turned a bright red.

"You sure do wink a lot," he said nervously. Misty threw her head back and laughed harmoniously.

"Oh, you're so cute when you're embarrassed."

Upon pushing the glass doors of the hotel open, they heard a rather familiar voice.

"Oh, Pikachu!"

Pikachu's ears perked up. He turned around, jumped off Ash's shoulder, and bolted behind them to an older brunette woman.

"Delia!"

"Mom!"

Misty and Ash let go of the other's hand, and walked up to Ash's mother and, to Ash's slight confusion, the accompanying Professor Oak.

"What are you doing here?" Misty asked her mother-in-law brightly as they hugged tightly.

"Oh, Professor Oak had to attend the same convention you're here for and he asked me to come with him! You know how much I love Seafoam!" Delia winked innocently at her daughter-in-law.

"Hi there, Ash! How's Pikachu?" Ash shook hands with the fatherly researcher and smiled.

"Good, as always. Um, Professor, could I ask you something?"

"Sure, my boy. Ask away!"

"What the hell are you doing here with _my mother_?"

"ASH!" Misty and Delia scolded simultaneously as the professor nervously ruffled his own hair. Misty made sure to stamp her heel into his toe.

"Oh, no, Ash! I brought Delia here to keep me company as a friend! She's even staying in a separate room!"

Ash released the breath he'd been holding and Misty and Delia exchanged a look. Sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, he said, "Oh, sorry, Professor. I thought, maybe, um, you know. Yeah." Misty tugged Ash's tie and pulled him out the door. Professor Oak nervously chuckled as he and Delia followed closely behind, laughing away, while Pikachu scurried to catch up.

"Did you pick up that winking thing from my mom?"

Misty sighed. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

After leaving the convention center late that evening, Misty had requested that she and Ash stop off at one of the local bars to have a drink and unwind. Ash had agreed instantly, despite the fact he didn't really drink much. Pikachu had chosen to go back to the hotel with Delia and Professor Oak, not wanting to deal with his master and his mate while intoxicated.

Not long after entering the club, Ash had loosened his tie, Misty had unzipped her outfit a few inches, and the pair had consumed several shots. Misty dragged Ash over to the dance floor, illuminated by blue strobe lights as well as several black lights. The couple drunkenly rubbed up against each other, kissing wetly whenever their faces met.

"Ashish!" Misty slur-screamed over the music.

"What?" her lover replied rather dumbly.

"I'm soo drunk!" Misty broke into a fit of hysterical giggles, continuing to dance up against Ash's hard, muscular body. She pulled his ear to her lips and whispered harshly, "Let's go back to the, -hiccup!- hotel, Ashy!"

Without responding, Ash untangled himself from Misty, grabbed her hand, and stumbled through the crowd in the bar toward the exit. Luckily, in their previously sober state, the young couple had chosen a bar conveniently next door to the hotel to avoid any drunken complications of getting back to their ultimate destination for the night. If they had known how drunk they'd end up being after seven tequila shots (each), they probably would have gone straight to the hotel rather than taking the alcoholic detour.

Especially because Ash walked straight into the glass door rather than pulling it open.

"Ohh, Ash!" Misty cooed, sweetly. "Are you okay, baby?" Misty's voice became increasingly babyish. "I don't want you to be hurt, Ashy! I love you too much, Mr. -hic- Pokémon Massster!" The highly intoxicated gym leader pulled her husband off the floor.

"'Sss okay, Mist -hic-. 'M'alright." Ash rubbed his face before smartly pulling the door handle and watching in shock as it opened.

"S-so, I can't -hic- walk through it, huh?" Misty giggled too sweetly for what was probably the sixtieth time that evening.

"No, sssilly! Ya gotta pull it open. And," Misty burped unattractively, "an' I gotta get you upstairs so I can have m'way with you!" Misty pushed her chest against his in what felt like a sexy manner, but would have looked to any third party (especially the concierge, who watched them walk into the elevator) looked more like a sportsmanly chest bump.

Once inside the empty elevator, the drunken Ash reached for his wife's petite body and pulled her to him, lips crashing on hers messily. Misty, who had no issue with this, simply returned his wet kiss for the next ten floors and proceeded to untie his blue tie while Ash unzipped her own dress-like outfit far enough down so he could place his hands over her bosom, squeezing and fondling all the way out of the elevator as the two attempted multitask: hold their liquor, walk to their own room, and "hotly" make out.

Ash, being the naturally clumsy person he was, tripped over nothing right in front of their door, and as the two fell onto the floor of the hallway, giggling madly.

.

Delia Ketchum, occupying room 11-73 heard a loud thump outside her door, looked toward the curled up Pikachu, and decided to ignore it rather than risk waking the small mouse. He really was precious when he slept. Delia smiled warmly and continued crocheting a small Bulbasaur doll for Ash and Misty, just in case another member of the family emerged at any time in the future, completely unaware that her beloved daughter-in-law (who really _felt_ like a real daughter without the hassle of being related) and her prized son were in the midst possibly making one of those little bundles of joy right outside her door.

The oldest Ketchum heard a familiar voice clumsily pout, "Ashy! Let's go to -hic- bed!"

The young couple was definitely drunk. And that was definitely a time where potential sex was either interrupted by passing out or was imminent (hopefully with an ensuing baby). Delia exhaled, continuing her crochet.

She could hope, right?

.

Professor Samuel Oak, clad in his striped pajamas and scrolling through the latest Pokédex, heard what sounded like continual giggling outside his door marked 11-74. However, he chose to ignore it, figuring it was just a couple of children sneaking out of their parents' rooms to explore. The professor chuckled as he read an updated entry on Igglybuff.

_Kids will be kids_, he thought, and returned to his studies.

.

By the time Ash and Misty had found their way into their very own room not three feet away from the spot where they'd fallen, Misty's outfit was draped around her waist, her bra had been undone, and Ash's pants had been unzipped. Misty shut the heavy hotel door behind her as she stepped out of her shoes and rid herself of her outer clothing.

"Oh," she cooed, "I love you -hic- so much, Ashishy. Do you love me? I j-just want you to -hic- prove you l-burp-love me."

Ash, too drunk to be turned off by his wife's belches, nodded fervently and threw her bra off her chest. He buried his face in her neck as she fell into the bed, her torso lying down, her legs still on the floor, with Ash himself kneeling over her, his face moving to Misty's chest.

He pulled his pants down and Misty removed his gray jacket along and attempted to unbutton his shirt. However, a rumbling disturbed her stomach as Ash continued to pay attention to her exposed chest. She reached blindly for the trashcan by the nightstand and upon feeling her fingers wrap around it, proceeded to sit up and release the contents of her loudly inside of it. Ash ceased his lip movements on her breasts as he felt a similar rumbling in the pit of his own stomach. As soon as Misty's violent vomiting had stopped, Ash snatched the trash from her and threw up all three helpings of his dinner.

After thoroughly losing the contents of their stomachs, Ash and Misty were suddenly considerably less turned on. With Ash still kneeling and hovering over her, the drunken lovers made glassy eye contact before Ash's eyes rolled back into his head and fell face first into Misty's cleavage.

Misty pulled a wayward bobby pin out of her hair, falling asleep sixty seconds later in what was going to be a very physically distressing position in the morning. Before she let her eyes close, she chanced a glance at Ash snoring between her breasts and waved a hand dismissively.

"I'm too drunk to do it anyway."

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this! And the other things I was going to say in the beginning:**

**-I don't know what to think about Eldershipping so I just made Delia and Oak close friends here, but if you read it as everyone knows that Delia and Oak have a thing except for Ash and they lied about it, that's cool too. I wanted it sort of ambiguous like that. If I decide I like it, maybe it will be featured briefly in a future story. I literally don't know how I feel about it. Maybe I just don't have an opinion. Also, I hope no one minds the continuous guest appearances from other characters amidst the AAML lovin'. I just like guests sometimes. :P**

**-I was sort of tempted to write a lemon for this, but I figured that if I'm going to do it, I want them to be sober. Like writing a sex scene well is hard enough, but writing one while Ash and Misty are _drunk_ is another challenge entirely. XD**

**-I hope the somewhat lengthy story elements that led up to the prompt and the writing mistakes that probably occurred didn't turn out to be distracting!**

**-Finally, I happen to like the generally used "Waterflower" for Misty's unidentified last name. Deal with it.**

**Happy reviewing! :)**


	5. Five: Excedrin

**Score one for this girl. I posted this _during the day _and not in the dead of night like usual. Go me! **

**This piece is directly related to _Drunk_. Here we have... The Morning After, featuring a hangover and a chipper mother! :) Sorry, loves, I can't resist Delia sometimes. This was just too good. I promise I'll get to some actual AAML fluffiness soon, if that's what you came here for. I just can't help switching out my Pokéshipping styles a little bit. :)**

**It's rather hard for me to describe a typically painful hangover since they sort just..._exist _within time, if that makes any sense. But it's obviously an unpleasant feeling. Believe me. XD**

** Also, if anyone doesn't know what Excedrin is, it's a popular migraine medicine sold over the counter. Happy reading!  
**

* * *

_**Excedrin**_

The silence was deafening.

Every bit of the silence _pounded_ in his ears.

Ash Ketchum's eyes fluttered open only to see darkness. He was lying face down against something soft. He could feel his own warm breath recoiling such a surface and hitting his nose.

His breath was _not _pleasant.

He slowly lifted his upper body from the soft surface, squinting his eyes due to the several lamps in the room, as well as the natural sunlight from the window. Ash realized he had fallen asleep kneeling; his knees and legs were bent on the floor and his torso was in between—

The legs of someone else.

While consciousness slowly returned, Ash's brain registered that he might have _cheated on Misty. _He shook his head, eyes still closed, but immediately regretted the action. He felt an Onix was using an eternal Bind on his head. His eyes opened immediately—he absently wondered just _who the hell_ had left all the lights on—and the young champion realized that he was still kneeling over a familiar redhead clad only in a pair of vaguely familiar panties. His delightfully _hungover _brain also led him to the conclusion that his face had just previously been buried in the intriguingly comfortable space between her breasts.

Upon realizing this figure was none other than his own wife, he gave an immense sigh of relief. He could never cheat on his beloved wife. Not only did he love her beyond all else and would never dream of doing anything with anyone else, she'd have his head. Both of them.

Ash gulped before feeling an indescribable gut-wrenching sensation. He stumbled away from his passed-out wife, lying spread eagle on the bed with her legs hanging off the foot, and proceeded to his hotel room's bathroom to throw up the shots he blearily remembered consuming into the gleaming white toilet.

He emptied his stomach, fell onto the floor, and hugged the bowl for dear life.

Misty, who heard the sounds of vomiting from the adjoining bathroom, had already gotten out of bed, dealing with her morning-after shame.

She looked in the mirror and saw herself, clad in nothing but her underwear and had the sudden urge to die altogether.

"Good God, whose idea was it to go drinking last night?" she grumbled, searching her suitcase for a clean shirt to cover herself up with. Her own voice exploded in her ears, sounding raw, unfamiliar, and painfully husky.

"Yours."

The gym leader caught sight of her husband embracing the toilet bowl through the open door of the bathroom. He shakily stood up, bracing himself on either side of the toilet, and faced his wife.

"You're a hot mess."

"You look pretty _hot_ yourself, Mr. Pokémon Master." Ash's ears continued to pound. Misty looked at the clock which read 12:45 P.M. and thanked Arceus they didn't have be at the convention until two that afternoon.

"Hey, why aren't you puking your guts out? And how come your headache doesn't look as bad as mine?" Misty growled at his questions.

"Believe me, Ash Ketchum, I have a headache _just as bad _if not _worse _than yours," Misty folded her arms and continued. "But I happen to have a higher tolerance for headaches not only because I'm not nearly as weak as you are. Not to mention the fact I've been dealing with Psyduck all these years." Misty gingerly rubbed her temples with her thumb and index finger before padding back to the bed and gingerly lying back down. Ash switched off the light in the bathroom and followed behind her. He had already stepped out the pants that had been bunched around his ankles and stepped out of his shoes. He sat on the foot of the bed, undoing the rest of his half-buttoned shirt. Misty, in her t-shirt and underwear, crawled back under the covers and closed her eyes. Just as Ash was getting settled next to her to simply rest his eyes before getting ready for the day's League convention, a brisk knock came to the door. Ash and Misty groaned painfully.

"You get it."

"No, you!"

Misty continued to lay with her eyes closed, ignoring her husband.

"Fine!" he snapped, getting out of the bed. He walked over to the door grumbling, "But only because I'm too hungover to deal with her bullsh—Hi, M-mom!"

Ash had opened the door mid-sentence to find his mother, dressed in her favorite blue skirt and pink cardigan, sternly staring up at him.

"You're too _what_ to deal with _whose what_, now, Ash Ketchum?" his mother demanded. She walked into the room right under his muscular arm leaning against the door frame. Her son, clad only in boxers and rubbing his forehead repeatedly, wisely did not respond to her question. Pikachu came running into the room behind her. Not sensing his master's current state of physical distress, he jumped straight into his face and latched onto his head. Ash groaned, knowing there was no stopping the Pokémon.

"Jeez, what are you, Pikachu? A hat?" Ash's eyes went wide at his own comment. His hat! Where was his blessed hat!?

"Ash, you left your hat at the convention last night," Delia remarked, seeming to read the young man's mind. She sat down next to the the still-horizontal Misty on the large hotel bed. She dug into her large beige purse until she procured a battered Pokémon League hat. His very first. Ash sighed in relief and took it from his mother's grasp. As an adult, he wore it less and less and occasionally forgot the last place he had it.

Those occasions were usually associated with a night of drinking, be it before or after.

Delia, on the other hand, shot a glare at her obviously hungover son. His complexion turned a sickly greenish color. The still-young mother knew what was coming next.

"Oh man," Ash hiccuped. He ran back to the bathroom, throwing his electric friend off his head in the process.

"PIKA!"

"It's okay, Pikachu," Delia consoled over the sounds of dry heaving in the next room. "He'll come around." The mouse grunted and stomped over to the window to lay in a ray of incoming sun. Delia turned her attention to her daughter-in-law, eyes still closed, resting her head on the pillow. Delia edged closer to her and brushed the stray bangs away from her eyes. The young redhead really was a precious thing.

"Oh, Delia, don't ever let me drink that much again," the gym leader groaned, cracking an aquamarine eye open, overlooking her surrogate mother quickly before closing it again. Delia chuckled softly.

"Oh, sweetheart, I think you've learned that lesson quite well on your own."

Misty grumbled again, pulling the duvet farther up over her shoulder and successfully punching herself in the face.

"Owie," she moaned. Delia had to admit, if it weren't for the dark circles under her eyes and the lingering smell of shame and tequila that accompanied, she'd have found Misty rather adorable.

"Mom!" her precious son's voice came from inside the bathroom.

"Yes, honey?" Delia asked, patting Misty consolingly on her blanketed shoulder.

"Please tell me you're carrying Excedrin in that purse of yours."

"Please tell _me _that Misty is carrying my grandbaby in that stomach of hers!"

Despite the fact they were in separate rooms, both Ash's and Misty's eyes shot wide open.

* * *

**Yes, yes, Ash and Misty didn't do anything but drunkenly make out the previous night, but this ending was too great to pass up. ;D Delia really wants those grandchildren. Thanks for reading and *grits teeth menacingly* reviewing! :) **


	6. Six: Friends

**This one is a sort of drabbly piece that's supposed to take place directly after the events of the third movie. I didn't want Ash and Misty to be 10 or 11 so I made them around 13, even though that's not even necessarily accurate in my own headcanon. XD Eh, I do what I want. **

**No romance here, really, just pre-lovers' friendship. :)**

* * *

_**Friends**_

Misty Waterflower stared into the crackling campfire, ignoring the burning sensation of exhaustion in the corners of her eyes.

Or maybe that was just from the fire. She hoped so. She wasn't ready to be tired. Even though the last several hours had really taken a toll on her.

_On everyone. _

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Brock, fast asleep on his stomach, sprawled out on top of his sleeping bag probably dreaming of something ridiculous like fifty Joys and Jennys surrounding him with guns and stethoscopes. She rolled her eyes.

"He's a really great friend," Misty murmured to herself, lips tugging into a smile.

The warm August evening hadn't really called for a campfire, but Misty loved them too much not to have one. She begged Ash to get some firewood so she could start one. They'd argued about it (of course), but in the end, she won out, just like she always did. The young trainer sat up straighter on the log she'd been occupying, turning her head all around the campsite to look for her other vivacious friend. Brock was on top of his sleeping bag, muttering something about a Chansey blocking his rock... or something like that. Misty shuddered, bringing her legs close to her chest at the disturbing thought. Her cropped yellow tank top blew with a cold breeze.

_Probably the winds of Brock's imagination telling him it'll never happen, _she grumbled in her head.

To the left of Brock, the trio's backpacks sat against a tree, Togepi curled inside Misty's red drawstring and Pikachu snoozing in Ash's old green backpack with his trainer's worn jacket wrapped around the item. However, the aspiring Pokémon Master was absolutely nowhere to be seen. The redhead figured she'd give him five minutes before she went to save his sorry ass from whatever trouble he had probably gotten himself into before staring back into the bright flames of the fire.

The fiery logs in the makeshift pit slowly burned to a char.

_Charizard. _

Misty looked away, closing her eyes tightly as the image of the fiercely loyal Charizard and the furiously enraged Entei battled within the world of the Unown, Ash's teeth barred as he gripped Charizard's neck for dear life, plummeting into another rock that came out of nowhere—

Misty's eyes began to water, despite the tightly sealed barrier of her eyelids.

"Misty?"

That voice could only belong to a prepubescent boy.

"Ash!" Misty abruptly stood from her position on the log and faced the boy behind her. He was dressed in his usual tennis shoes, faded jeans, and black t-shirt, as well as a familiar backwards hat over his wild ebony locks.

_He must have been doing something serious. Or, God willing, serious thinking._

The shadowy face held a warm pair of dark amber eyes with definitive cheeks and a casual smile.

"Why're ya looking at me like that, Misty?" Ash laughed as she blushed furiously and faced the fire again, returning to her comfortable sitting position on the log. Ash carried an armful of firewood and set it down next to them.

"I went to get more firewood," he said needlessly, stealing a close seat next to her on the wide log.

"I see that."

Misty stared back into the fire. The images of little Molly Hale clinging onto Ash's mom and Ash nearly being killed a multitude of times in the span of just one day returned to the previously blissful blackness of Misty's mind.

Ash chanced a glance in her direction and bit his lower lip.

"Misty?" she opened her eyes again, hoping to whatever legendary or god was dominant that he didn't see her glassy eyes.

"What, Ashton?" she snapped tiredly.

"A-are you alright? You know, after...yesterday, and everything." Ash averted his eyes and proceeded to dig in the dirt with his heeled shoe.

"What do you mean? Of course I'm alright!"

Misty winced. She'd answered much too quickly.

"Misty..." he began, tentatively taking time to look at her soft facial features.

_She's actually really pretty, for such a loudmouth..._

However, something he was not used to seeing graced her familiar, colorful eyes.

They were..._glistening_. Was Misty crying?

"Mist, you're not alright."

Misty sniffed indignantly. Her heart wrenched every time she closed her eyes and saw Ash and Charizard bashing into Entei. She cringed when she remembered getting separated from Ash by the blue ice in the Hell of dreamworld that the Unown had created. She sighed when she thought of Delia Ketchum's heart breaking in front of everyone. Her heart didn't need his priceless "wit" right now.

Or maybe it did.

"No, no I'm _not_ alright, Ash. I'm not." She put her face in her hands and Ash instinctively reacted by moving closer to her and putting an arm around her shoulder. His eyes widened beneath the bill of his hat.

_Oh man, why did I do that? This whole puberty thing Brock warned me about must be starting! Damn!_

Misty reacted rather similarly, albeit sardonically.

"I can't believe you just reacted to an emotion," she deadpanned, leaning on his shoulder.

"Hey, I'm trying to be nice here!" Ash felt a painful pinch in his side. "Ow! Jeez, you're so rude, you know that?"

"Oh yes, I'm rude. I'm the rudest girl on the planet and Ash Ketchum is the sweetest boy who exists. That's how it is," she bit back. Ash thumped her shoulder in response.

"Ash!" Misty's frown swiftly changed into a smile and she began to laugh.

"Misty!" Ash laughed with her. She looked up at him mischievously from her place on his shoulder for a brief instant before reaching up, grabbing his hat off his head, and throwing it behind them. Ash whimpered, removed his arm, and ran after his dearest possession. Upon reaching the red and white fabric, Ash sent a scandalized glare in the direction of Misty, who made no attempt to hide her shaking shoulders or her wide smile.

"Real mature," he muttered, sitting back down on the twigless log several centimeters away from her, hat clutched tightly in his grip.

"Oh, come on, you big baby! Put another log on the fire."

"Okay, _Queen Misty._"

"You know, a real gentleman would do what I ask without the snarky attitude."

"Misty, did you not see me put a log on the fire when you asked? I did exactly what you wanted!" Ash retorted.

_She's so difficult_.

"Just because you did it doesn't make you the kind of gentleman a girl looks for in a boyfriend!"

_He's so dumb_.

"Who says I'm looking for a girl to look inside of me for a boyfriend!?"

Misty blessed him with a condescending look.

"That was a dumb way to say that."

"Yeah, I'm dumb, I know. At least _I'm _friendly!"

Misty shot another glare,

Ash felt the chills run down his spine, though he wasn't entirely sure if it was just from the icy look Misty was giving him.

"I am _so _friendly!"

"Whatever, Mist."

"Stop calling me that."

_She likes it._

"Stop calling me Ashton."

_He likes it._

"No."

"Fine."

The pair of friends had completely turned away from each other and childishly crossed their arms. A piercing scream of, "I LOVE YOU, NURSE JOY!" from the corner of the campsite broke the silence and both Ash and Misty slowly turned around to face each other.

Ash and Misty both saw the signs in each other's faces: trembling chins and lips, mouths sputtering while still closed, cheeks filled like hot air balloons.

They unsuccessfully tried to hold it all in.

Pikachu cuddled closer to Ash's jacket, Togepi let out an unconscious sigh, and Brock, who hadn't woken up for his own small outburst, continued to snore peacefully through Ash and Misty's raucous laughter.

Ash, who had fallen off the log with his hat due to his violent laughter, gradually stopped rolling around and Misty joined him in the soft dirt, still giggling. The teens were a safe twelve inches apart.

Ash rolled over on his side to look at Misty's now dirty face.

"What are you thinking about?" Misty asked, as she gazed up at the bright night sky.

"My mom's baked barbeque chicken."

Misty scoffed. "Come on."

"Really! I'm hungry!"

"Oh, puh-lease!" Misty laughed once more that evening. She hadn't thought she'd be doing so much laughing after such traumatic events. Comfortable silence fell between the pair once more before Ash piped up,

"We had a hard couple days, didn't we? Battling for my mom. And Molly, of course," Ash added absently. "I honestly wasn't sure if I'd make it through that one." Misty merely blinked, averting her eyes from the stars and into his face. There was a palpable pause. "You'd have made it, though," Ash added, turning away from her to look into the sky. He moved his arms behind his head and rested in his own palms.

"What do you mean?" Misty sat up and leaned against the thick log she'd previously occupied, ponytail loose and dirty from all the rolling on the ground.

"You'd have made it out of there, if I didn't. You're strong. And smart. But that makes sense, 'cause I don't really make _weak _friends. Let alone my best friend."

Before Misty could really process his words, he was already standing up, offering a gloved hand outward. Ash gingerly pulled her off the ground and made sure to let go of her hand immediately. The two silently extinguished the campfire, laid out their sleeping bags, and turned around while the other changed. Ash walked over to her and placed the hat he hadn't been wearing roughly over her messy hair.

"Night, Mist."

She couldn't see his chipper smile in the dark, but she imagined it was there anyway.

It always was.

* * *

**Aw, they don't even know it yet. ;) This hasn't been my faaaavorrriiitee from this collection, but I felt the need to do something just a little different from my general preference of adultish humor. **

**So out popped this one-shot. And I needed an excuse to make Misty kind of sad and to have Ash cheer her up without really trying, so the post-Molly Hale idea just sort of came to my mind. **

**Thanks for reading and stay tuned!**


	7. Seven: Gluttony

**Okay, my lovelies, here is the next update! This one gives a little insight into the well known seven deadly sins. Ever since reading a one-shot about Ash and Misty and the seven deadly sins by a wonderful author on this site called Bittersweet Romanticide, I've always wanted to write something sorta kinda like that myself. So, while this piece really has nothing to with anything I've read or anything I'll write in the future, it did help spark some inspiration. :) This is rather plotless, so if you enjoy plotless things, here you go.  
**

**Happy reading! :)**

* * *

_**Gluttony**_

If there was one thing Ash Ketchum loved to do more than train Pokémon, it was eating. Of course, he worked out all the time to keep a sculpted appearance, but he still gorged himself on a daily basis.

Ash would eat anything. Fruits, vegetables, grains, bread, beans, meat, and _especially _desserts. While Misty told him his overall consumption of food was absolutely repulsive, Ash knew that his fiancée was more than happy to eat her weight as well. While Misty was a rather small, petite young woman, she also spent her entire day swimming and working up an appetite, but she'd often eat a normal amount of food. However, there were a few times each month where Misty would come home bearing copious amounts of take-out and three gallons of ice cream for them to share.

When the couple would go out to eat, Ash was expected to be on his best behavior and use proper table manners, which meant not ordering two appetizers for himself, three entrees, and dessert. On a good evening, Misty would allow him one of each. On a bad one, he was lucky to get bread. These bad evenings, however, seemed to only occur at the same time he wasn't allowed to touch her.

_Misty's monthly friend. _

Honestly, Misty's monthly friend, as Ash called it, usually wasn't as bad as the week that came before it. The week before, which Misty had told him included something called "PMS." Apparently, PMS made Misty a little (a lot) crazier than usual. Last month, during her Premenstrual Syndrome (Ash looked up the acronym to see what it meant), Misty had threatened to rip every hair off his body with an industrial strength electric razor and then stab his eyes out with a fork. After letting go of his shirt collar and ceasing her threats, she had left their shared house and returned forty-five minutes later with Chinese food, chocolate cake, doughnuts, and two root beer floats. Ash had only been able to blink madly when she handed off one of the floats to him, sat on the kitchen counter, ate two helpings of pork chow mein, dumplings, three pieces of cake, two maple bars, the other float, and then belched, took his hand, and forcibly pulled him into the bedroom.

Now, Ash didn't mind Misty eating so much, considering eating was his favorite hobby, but it was beginning to worry him. Not because she may have been heading toward the path of obesity (Misty would _never _let herself be fat, despite the fact that Ash would love her regardless), but because she was becoming attached to the sweet foods even when her "friend" _wasn't _visiting.

Ash came to such a deduction with a simple bit of observing and investigating.

Firstly, he noticed Misty purchasing more sweets on a more regular basis. This, Ash had absolutely no complaint about. She'd bring home bags of candy, brownies, fudge, and anything else she could seem to get her hands on.

Secondly, these sweets would disappear much, much faster than usual and for once, _it wasn't Ash's fault_.

Finally, Misty became very attached to her sweets. She'd have desserts at any time of the day, which again, Ash didn't really mind, but she got awfully protective of them. She'd force him to leave her alone with the delicious sweets and not come back until she was finished. And then, once Ash had deemed it safe to return, she'd ask him to bring her another treat.

The last straw for Ash, though, was when he caught her lying on the sofa cuddling a king sized hunk of frozen chocolate. Misty's lean little body, donned in black yoga pants and a white T-shirt, was curled into a cozy ball late one wintry night. Ash had woken up in the middle of the night only to find his lover missing from the bedroom. He carefully pulled himself out of bed (he didn't want to wake Pikachu), tiredly ran a hand through his already messy hair, and pulled on a pair of black sweat pants over his boxers. Upon forcing his tired body down the stairs, he caught his beautiful fiancée with the chocolate bar in her arms, eyes peacefully closed and smile gracing her soft lips, with her head resting contentedly on the offending piece of candy.

"Misty, you've gotta stop this!" Ash blurted loudly from his place on the staircase. Misty, upon hearing her fiancé's raised voice, snapped her eyes open and sprang off the couch, involuntarily throwing the chocolate across the living room.

"Stop what!?There's nothing wrong! I'm perfectly fine!"

Ash sighed and jumped the last few steps. He walked over to where she was perched in front of the television and gently grabbed her shoulders.

"Misty, listen to me. For once in your life, please listen to me!" he pleaded, shaking her slightly. Upon seeing her nod (not without an accompanying huff), he let go over and continued.

"You have a serious problem! You're becoming too attached to sweets! I mean, I know we've both always always had a sweet tooth, but this is crazy! Misty, I found you _cuddling with chocolate!_" Ash wildly gestured in the direction the overly sized chocolate bar had landed.

Misty's shoulders sunk and she looked toward the floor.

"Misty, I can help you! We can get you through this! And the first step," he paused, reaching for her chin and gently grasping her jaw to get her looking at him again, "is to get rid of the sweets."

Her normally bright aquamarine eyes took a gloomy edge and she very softly sighed, "You're right."

Ash, who had never heard those words from her in his life, blinked in surprise, but thought better of it before asking her to repeat herself. She was obviously in a very vulnerable state. Instead, he smirked widely before pulling her close to him for a warm hug. Misty's slender arms wrapped around his torso and he felt her mumbling unintelligibly into his chest.

"What was that, babe?"

"Okay," the quiet response came. She buried herself deeper into his sturdy body. "Okay, we'll do it."

"That's my girl."

Ash rubbed her back, smirking and rolling his eyes.

_I can't believe she was cuddling with a freaking chocolate bar._

"Don't you dare laugh at me, Ash Ketchum!"

* * *

**I feel like Misty would have a rather odd affinity for sweets. Don't ask why. I don't even know. XD  
**


	8. Eight: Hot

**Okay, update time. This one really has no purpose. Imagine Ash and Misty are both successfully attractive adults. I'd say that's pretty accurate.  
**

* * *

_**Hot**_

"Damn, she's a _hottie!_"

"Look at that ass!"

"Mhm, that's a fine lady. Think she'd go out with me?"

The three men sitting at the bar heard the unmistakable sound of a shattered bottle behind their spot from the bar. The man behind them, previously leaning against the green-felted pool table, had dropped his amber bottle out of shock and took a step towards the middle-aged men at the bar who had been making obnoxious conversation throughout the entire bar all evening.

"Hey, you gotta problem or somethin', buddy?" The first stranger gruffly turned around and faced no other than 23-year-old Ash Ketchum, Pokémon Master, staring him directly in the face with wide eyes.

"What did you say about her?" Ash's bottle lay shattered on the floor, forgotten by the young man as he waited for an answer.

"About who?" Ash rolled his eyes at the guy. He was easily three inches taller than Ash (also a good thirty pounds heavier around the middle), and balding with a big black beard covering his face. He was wearing what looked like a mechanics' uniform with the name "Jay" scripted on the front. Jay pointed in the general direction of the bathroom.

"The one who went to the john? Red? I said she's hot! What of it?" Jay rubbed his beard and glanced at his two companions, still seated at the bar. The other men, middle-aged like Jay appeared to be, snickered.

"That's my _girlfriend._"

"Oh, she's ya' girlfriend, huh? Well it ain't like you tied the knot. I'll say whatever I want!" Jay folded his arms across his chest and smirked, looking Ash up and down. The kid, probably twenty years younger than Jay himself, was dressed casually in dark jeans and a black sleeveless, which looked pretty tight. Jay scoffed.

_This kid thinks he's tough 'cause he's got these muscles. Not likely._

Jay wasn't gonna let some muscley kid push him around.

"And maybe, I'll take her home with me tonight!"

Ash looked at the man's bulging stomach and laughed.

"Fat chance."

* * *

Misty excused herself from the game of 8-ball she was effortlessly beating Ash at and left to the restroom. On her way, she caught a glimpse of three older guys staring at her and rolled her eyes.

"Men are such pigs," she muttered to herself. It's not like she was walking around naked! What was wrong with short shorts and a tight little v-neck?

_Well, I guess guys think that stuff is hot... I forgot that guys other than Ash look at me..._

Misty swung the door of the restroom open. She walked past three identical women with magenta hair, happily chatting and fixing their makeup in the mirrors and into the first open stall. Relieving herself, Misty tried not to eavesdrop on the conversation she heard through the stalls.

She failed.

"Oh my goodness, did you _see _that guy in the black tank top? That's the Pokémon Master!" The other two girls squealed with their friend.

_Well, that's pretty normal. Everyone knows how famous Ash is._

"He is _so_ hot!"

Misty dropped her handful of toilet paper.

"Mm, I could just eat him up!"

"Please, Megan, we _all _know you would!" the girls giggled heartily and Misty heard the sound of three pairs of heels clicking on the linoleum floor, signifying the exit of the three young women.

Misty walked out of her stall, gaping. How dare _other women _find her boyfriend attractive!? And how dare they even _voice their opinions!?_

"Oh, this is NOT okay!" Misty growled over the sound of the faucet, furiously scrubbing her hands.

After quickly finishing up in the bathroom, Misty rushed out to see Ash nose to nose with a rather round older guy in a blue jumpsuit, probably in his forties, with broken glass all around them.

"Ash!" she shouted over the jukebox, hurrying over to him. He threw her a sideways glance and smirked at the fat guy. "Ash, I want to leave. I want to leave right this instant!" At this, Ash turned toward his red-faced lover, a single black eyebrow raised.

"Um, alright." Ash hadn't been expecting it to be so easy to get Misty out of the bar and away from Jay and his posse.

Before grabbing Ash tightly by his exposed bicep, Misty caught sight of the magenta-haired women from the bathroom seated at a booth, glancing and giggling in Ash's direction. She made deathly eye contact with the three, as she grabbed hold of her lover and dragged him out of the bar.

Ash, on the other hand, threw a snotty smirk at Jay while Misty pulled him through the doors and out into the evening twilight.

"Um, Mist?"

"Yeah?"

"Your nails..."

"Oh!" in the heat of proving a silent point to those bimbos, she had dug her nails into Ash's arm a little too tightly. "Sorry," Misty blushed. She realized that now that they were alone outside the bar, Ash would probably want an explanation of why she suddenly wanted to leave.

_The egotistical bastard probably thinks I want to have sex._

"So...what was that?" Ash leaned up against the outer wall of the building and folded his arms.

"I, uh, heard three dumbass girls talking about you, and, well, I...uh, wanted to leave!" Misty explained nervously. Ash seemed to accept this, for his questioning expression disappeared.

"Oh, alright then... So, you wanna go home?"

"Yeah, I think I do. That bar wasn't fun anyway. Let's go see a movie next time."

_In a dark theatre where no one can see you._

Ash took Misty's hand and led her down the street in the direction of their nearby home.

"Sounds perfect!"

"Ash?"

"Yeah?"

"Back at the bar, why was there glass all over the floor and who was that bald guy?"

"Uh, no one."

"And the glass?"

"No reason."

Misty skeptically huffed as they continued down the sidewalk.

"Really?"

"Really!" Ash defensively exclaimed, brow beginning to sweat.

"Why are you so defensive? And embarrassed? And why are you starting to sweat?"

Ash turned beet red.

"Because you're too hot," he muttered, not looking at her. Misty blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"You're too hot! That guy was talking about how hot you look and you're just too hot, okay?" Ash self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck. He dared to see just what sort of punishment he was going to get for acting like a jealous boyfriend, so he nervously turned his head towards her.

"Oh."

"Just...oh?"

"No," she responded simply, looking back at him bashfully. "The real reason I wanted to leave was because those girls were talking about how hot _you _are."

Ash's face brightened considerably.

"People think I'm hot?"

Misty winced.

_Great._

* * *

**Ash and his ego. XD Poor Misty.  
**


	9. Nine: Insanity

**I forced myself off Reddit so I could write this for you guys. Be happy. ;)**

* * *

_**Insanity**_

Everything changed once Ash became famous.

Suddenly, everyone knew his name, height, shirt size, and insurance information.

The young man couldn't go out to get the mail without seeing the cameras poking through the bushes and being blinded by the flashes. He'd always assumed the paparazzi would be the worst part. They'd catch him everywhere he went and questioned everything he did. However, he turned out to be completely incorrect.

The worst part was the _girls._

Once Ash became the Pokémon Master, _girls _wanted a date with him, _girls _sent him fan mail, _girls, girls, girls. _Ash, being the married man he was, did his absolute best to ignore them, and it worked. Ash ignored the girls, his wife was happy, and the girls just tried harder. So he ignored them harder and Misty glared at them harder.

The younger girls weren't a problem. They were school-aged little kids who just wanted an autograph from the best and cutest role model an aspiring young trainer could have. It was the "mature" girls who had issues. Half of them were at least fifteen years older than him, trying to regain some twisted sense of youth. The other half seemed to be perky twenty-year-olds. However, age, cup-size, and perkiness made no difference to Misty.

Misty was a firm believer in the principles of equality, and that was why she despised each and everyone of Ash's insane fangirls equally.

Whenever a fangirl did something really over the top (which happened far too often, in Misty's opinion), Misty made it a point to show them just what happens when one messes with the Pokémon Master's volatile wife.

People had always told Misty that her feisty temper would die down with age, but the prime reason this was untrue was proven one sunny day around six weeks ago when she took Ash to the Cerulean racetrack.

* * *

Misty Ketchum sat alone in the front row of the outdoor stadium, watching the race crews prepare the track for the qualifying rounds of the evenings' racing. Well, she wasn't really alone. Countless strangers surrounded her and the empty seat she was saving for Ash. She glanced around, trying to ignore the stares and mutters of the other racegoers next to her.

"Look! It's the gym leader, Misty!"

"She's the Pokémon Master's wife!"

"Well if she's here, doesn't that mean he's here too?"

Misty turned to her left and shot an icy glare to the men and women pointing and whispering conspiratorially in her direction.

"Do you people mind? I'm trying to enjoy an evening of annoyingly loud race cars driving around in a circle with my husband!"

The fans next to her immediately turned away and whistled nervously. Misty rolled her eyes.

"I hate these stupid races and these stupid concrete seats and these stupid people," Misty muttered under her breath. She glanced around, hoping to spot her beloved husband approaching, but caught no site of his messy black tresses or his eternal yellow companion.

Sighing once more, Misty got up from her seat, removed her jacket, and placed it over the hard sidewalk-colored concrete. Adorning her purse so she could buy herself the chili fries Ash had probably forgotten about on his way to the bathroom.

Upon climbing the steps to the concession level at the top of the outdoor stadium, Misty's hawk-like eyes caught a glimpse of her husband.

Ash Ketchum, dressed casually in faded jeans and a white polo shirt, chatted happily with the electric mouse on his shoulder as they waited in the concession line. Misty sighed in relief when she realized that he hadn't forgotten her fries or gotten himself lost.

She swore sometimes that she'd married Psyduck.

Misty trekked up the last few steps and walked through the thick throng of people, assuming she'd find her patiently waiting lover with Pikachu, buying her chili fries.

What Misty found instead was enough to make her blood boil straight through her skin.

Ash Ketchum stood in the same concession line, nervously looking around while a blonde girl who looked three or four years younger than the twenty-seven-year-old Master was obviously attempting to flirt with him. She carried a drink in one hand and played foolishly with the buttons on her blouse.

However, by the time Misty had arrived at the scene, veins nearly popping out of her forehead, the blonde bimbo had already downed her drink, dropped the plastic cup, and ripped her blue blouse open. A deafening scream of, "I LOVE YOU, ASH KETCHUM!" could be heard over the few racecars beginning to rev their engines.

Misty, who had stopped right behind the girl in surprise, felt a sickening sensation of vertigo while Ash stood stupidly with his mouth wide open. He looked over the topless girl's shoulder and saw his redheaded wife standing there, just as shocked as the rest of the nearby crowd who had watched the scene unfold.

"Misty, it's not what it looks like, I swear!" Ash said, shutting his eyes tightly to avoid staring at the blonde's chest. Pikachu imitated his master, placing his paws over his dark eyes.

Misty wordlessly walked over to Ash and grabbed his forearm, leading him away from the girl in the direction of where they had parked the car. Pikachu winced as he and his masters heard the dreaded followup cry from the drunk girl.

"Ash, won't you sign my chest!?"

Horrified, Ash attempted to open an eye to look at Misty—and ONLY Misty—but she cut him off before he could try.

"Keep your eyes shut." Misty let go of Ash's arm by the entrance of the parking lot. "Stay. Right. Here." Ash nodded fervently at his wife's menacing command, obeying her every word. Pikachu, who had not been ordered to keep his eyes shut, scrambled on top of Ash's head, and watched Misty stomp away.

Misty turned around after giving Ash his instructions and marched back to the exact spot where the blonde had revealed herself to Ash and the surrounding public. The girl stood there, obnoxiously giggling with her girlfriends, buttoning up her shirt.

"Shay, I can't believe you weren't wearing a bra when you did that!"

The group of girls giggled even louder as Misty approached, unnoticed by the other young women. Misty politely tapped "Shay" on the shoulder.

"Hi, you're the one who just showed your boobs to that guy, right?" Misty began innocently, fake giggling like the rest of the girls.

"Yeah, I totally did!" Shay slurred.

"Oh, good. Then let me show you_ this_."

A sickening crack filled the air near them as Shay squealed and covered her bleeding nose.

"My nose job is ruined!" Misty smirked.

"I'm sure the surgeon who did your boobs can fix that."

And with that, the young redhead turned around, sauntered back to Ash and his starter, pushed him into the car, floored the gas pedal all the way home, and made sure the young Master knew just who he was allowed to see naked.

* * *

**I know this wasn't *quite* true to the prompt of "insanity" but I figured Ash's fangirls could be pretty ridiculous, which makes them act sort of nuts. So that's why this happened. XD **


	10. Ten: Juxtaposition

**Here's J. It's short, so I apologize, but I literally typed this up in like...a short amount of time. It sort of just happened and then before I knew it, it was over. So I apologize for the probably present errors, and the drabbliness of this one. It's not super Pokéshippy, but you'll live. Especially since I'll probably update again by tomorrow. :)**

* * *

_**Juxtaposition**_

They had always been together. From the very moment they became friends, there was no separating them. People tried, of course, to rip them apart any chance they would get. They were too powerful together for people to _not _envy them. Even after all these years, some still thought they'd split and go their separate ways, just like the others.

But Ash and Pikachu were different.

Pikachu possessed an undying loyalty to his master.

Ash experienced for the first time the bond between two best friends.

So, once Pikachu had warmed up to the idea of having a master and Ash figured out how to care for him the right way, Pikachu and Ash could only become closer. They walked together, ate together, and they even slept in the same sleeping bag. But as the two grew together, it became more.

Their friendship become _love. _

Every time Team Rocket came to take Pikachu away, Ash would sprint after them to rescue his best friend. Pikachu always knew that Ash would come and save him, but deep down, he worried that Ash _wouldn't _be able to save him. What if Team Rocket actually escaped? What if he was trapped in one of those electric-proof jars forever?

_What if Ash didn't really love him?_

These fears trembled through Pikachu's very bones until the very moment he was in the warm embrace of his trainer.

However, over time, these fears would disappear. Team Rocket would come up with more and more foolish schemes, Ash would save him, and he'd be back to normal in no time. Pikachu learned to trust Ash with his life.

Ash, on the other hand, was just as distraught as his partner Pokémon whenever he was taken away. Every time he watched Jessie, James, and Meowth carry his beloved best friend away in their balloon, a crack would threaten to pierce his heart. Anger would flood his veins. Adrenaline would pump through his head. Tears would threaten to break their barriers. Ash wouldn't give thought to anything until Pikachu was safely resting on his shoulder once more.

But after Team Rocket was sent soaring through the air and Pikachu was happily licking his master's neck, the fear would fly from Ash's system. He would hug his best friend tighter than he had ever before, close his eyes, and smile.

Ash couldn't ask for a more faithful companion than Pikachu.

Interestingly, people always figured Brock was Ash's best friend. The two men spent their childhoods together. Ash loved Brock beyond words, of course, but Brock was his best _human _friend, and even then, he sort of tied with Misty. But they all knew who Ash's _best _friend was.

Brock never minded. As a prominent Pokémon breeder and an avid lover of all Pokémon, he knew just as well as anyone how deeply the bond between a man and his Pikachu could run. Well, he knew how deeply _Ash's _ran with _his _Pikachu. Brock chuckled happily at the sight of Ash and Pikachu wrestling on a regular basis and his heart melted when he would see Pikachu worriedly looking around for Ash whenever he unexpectedly left the room.

Brock always figured that his love for Ash was just as strong as anyone's and he was just as lucky as the next person to have someone like Ash in his life, even if the next person was a Pokémon.

Misty, like Brock, encouraged the bond between Ash and Pikachu. Just because she was Ash's best human friend, girlfriend, then wife didn't mean that she wanted Pikachu gone. It was quite the opposite, in fact. Misty had _adored _Pikachu ever since she first laid eyes on the creature. Once Misty started traveling with Ash and Pikachu, Pikachu warmed up to her, much like he had with Ash (but quicker). In fact, she and Pikachu discovered they had a lot in common: Ash.

Ash couldn't stand either of them, at first. But he fell in love both times with both beings. She and Pikachu bonded time after time over their love for Ash and in no time, they loved each other. Misty considered herself lucky to be as close to Ash as she was, because that guaranteed her a spot in the small electric rodent's heart too.

So that's why, when Ash and Misty stood side by side in black and white on their wedding day, Pikachu's beady little eyes filled with moisture and he softly whispered from his place next to Ash on the altar, "Pika, Pikapi pi Pikachupi."

_I love you, Ash and Misty._

* * *

**Pikachu is such a sweetheart, isn't he? Of course Ash will always be his master and he'll love him beyond all others, but I know for a fact Pikachu fell for Misty too. :) I hope you enjoyed this plotless Pikachu love!**


	11. Eleven: Kick

**It's still today and not yet tomorrow. So technically, I followed through by saying that I'd probably update again today...even though it's like eleven at night. XD **

**The Sensational Sisters appear in this chapter because I love them so much (and I have to throw in a "like" here and there, no matter how old they are. Even if they have matured. It's too much fun. XD). Also, I made up ages and years and a timeline in my head for this one just like I do for all the other ones, so I'm sorry if you think it strays far from canon.**

**This is a universal apology for all my stories because as someone who obviously ignores the fact that the characters never age, I make up my own time. XD**

**Blah blah blah, right? Enjoy!**

* * *

_**Kick**_

_Kick._

_Kick._

_Kick, kick, kick._

Misty broke the pool's surface only for the overwhelming need to breathe. As soon as she caught another breath, she submerged herself once more, kicking away her problems.

_Kick, kick, kick._

It was a dull Tuesday morning.

There was nothing good about Tuesdays to Misty. Just as many gym challengers, just as much paperwork, and just as much dealing with her ditzy sisters. However, there was one thing _wonderful _about Tuesdays.

She received a letter from Ash.

_Kick, kick, breathe._

Of course, since Ash was abroad, there was no guarantee that a letter would come _every _Tuesday. Misty understood that it was hard to be that consistent when you had no idea when you were going to even to be sleeping every night.

However, Misty looked forward to each Tuesday just the same.

Ever since she had left Ash and Brock, she found that she was unable to fill the burning hole her departure had left in her heart.

She missed Brock a lot too, of course, but...

_Kick. Kick. Breathe._

But Misty was growing up and growing into her responsibilities. She couldn't have everything she wanted whenever she wanted it. She came home to the Cerulean City Gym and tried to forget the feeling of complete loneliness that slowly invaded her very soul.

That feeling had briefly subsided the moment she saw her sisters, though.

_"__Misty!" _Daisy had called, as she, Lily, and Violet prepared to enter the back of a yellow taxi with several suitcases for each of the three. _"I can't believe you're here!"_

_"__Neither can I," _Misty had muttered.

Violet and Lily had daintily embraced her and followed suit by greeting her just as Daisy had before the cab driver threw their suitcases into the trunk. They got into the taxi, both young women giving Misty a long look, a small smile, and a wink.

_"__Well, little sis, I guess this is, like, goodbye...again," _Daisy had said. Misty recalled being utterly shocked at the _emotional _tone her sister had taken. She had trouble remembering a time where those three felt any sort of real emotion over anything other than a broken nail.

Daisy had thrown a milky arm around her sister's shoulders, sending her blonde tresses out of the way with a flick of her head, squeezing her a little tighter than Lily and Violet had.

_"__I actually sort of missed you, baby sis."_

Misty remembered squeezing back with a small smirk.

_"__I actually sort of missed you too, you blonde bimbo."_

Furthermore, she remembered the exact look on Daisy's face as she watched her through the window of the taxi while the drover slowly backed out of the driveway. At first, Misty wasn't entirely sure if she was correct. Could a facial expression be described with such a simple word?

_Love._

At the time, Misty hadn't been able to believe it. Her sisters never really _acted _like they loved her, but every now and then, it hit Misty like a home run. Daisy, Violet, and Lily were her only family. How could they not love a runt (though Misty disagreed with the term, nowadays) like her? But her exchange with Daisy the day she came home proved everything.

Sometimes, it was easy to miss the love that was completely natural.

_Kick. Breathe. Kick._

And once she realized that months and months later when her sisters came home (which was an affair that ended Misty's loneliness but also began her insanity), the young girl came to realize just how much she cared for Ash. Of course, she had a crush on him, which she'd almost accidentally told Brock a couple of times throughout their journey, but more than that, he became her closest, truest friend.

_Kick._

And now that they'd exchanged probably a hundred letters over the last four years, the seventeen-year-old acknowledged that she felt more for Ash than she had originally thought. Misty figured her letters showed that pretty well.

Similarly, Misty had done enough reading between the lines of Ash's letters to understand that he felt the same way. It became an unspoken thing. Every few letters, he'd make sure she didn't have some other guy chasing after her and Misty would call him Ashton to remind him that she was the only girl who could make up nicknames for him.

_Breathe._

The seventeen-year-old waded to the edge of the pool, placed her palms flat on the concrete, and lifted herself out, letting out another exhausted exhalation as she did. Misty padded to the locker room, grabbed a neatly folded towel off the wall's shelf, and set it on one of the benches in the middle of the room. The locker room looked like a typical sports locker room: gray lockers on either side of the cerulean-painted rectangular room, a row of benches down a singular aisle, and showers on the far end of the room.

Not wanting to waste any time, Misty stripped out of her white bandeau bikini, dropping it on the floor and effectively leaving the soaking top and bottoms to drip on the tile. She shrugged and turned on the water in the middle shower stall.

After showering, dressing, and cleaning up the mess she'd left on the floor of the locker room, Misty entered the lobby of the gym to find her three sisters chatting happily behind the counter, lattes in the hands of Daisy and Lily and the latest issue of _Cosmopolitan _in Violet's.

"Oh, _Cosmo_! Can I read that when you're finished, Vi?" Misty asked casually as she briskly stepped into the room, taking a seat on the light pink sofa reserved for waiting challengers. Misty put her feet up on the brown coffee table and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, if you change that train wreck of an outfit you're wearing," her second-eldest sister snorted. "And get your feet off that coffee table! I worked hard to get that thing looking shiny and you're going to muck it all up!"

Misty rolled her eyes and kept her feet crossed on the table.

"Come on, I just got done working out, not going to a ball! Warm ups, a tank top, and a ponytail are hardly a crime!" Misty retorted, glancing down at her black workout pants and green tank top and back up at her sister.

"Whatever," the blue headed beauty trilled. Daisy watched Lily examine her nails and Violet flip the magazine's page as Misty opened her mouth to ask the inevitable Tuesday question.

"Do I have any mail?" Daisy smirked. The younger girl always asked with a practiced ease that Daisy always saw right through.

"If I tell you yes, will you squeal excitedly like a love-sick little girl and fly out of the room?"

Misty nearly fell off the couch.

"Do I really do that? I so do not do that!" she exclaimed, instantly up on her feet.

"Oh, you _so_ do, little sis!" Lily chimed from behind her nails.

"Shut up, Lily!"

"Geez, Misty, way to be rude."

"Like you're any nicer, Violet!" the bluenette looked scandalized from behind her magazine.

"Girls, girls," Daisy tiredly interjected. "We're all equally bitchy. Well, Misty's just a tad bitchier. Okay, a lo-" Daisy caught the flaring nostrils of her redheaded sister and trailed off nervously. "Anyway, there's nothing to fight about! Misty, here's your letter from Ash and something from the Pokémon League," Daisy changed the subject, pulling the two envelopes out from a drawer behind the lobby's counter.

Misty skipped over to her and snatched the slightly beaten up letter that could only be from her best friend before hurrying into the hallway, trying not to burst with excitement. Daisy watched the redhead go and wondered why she even pulled the League letter out.

"She does this, like, every time he sends her a letter," Violet sighed, closing _Cosmo _and setting it down in front of her. Lily nodded solemnly.

"Yeah, she really likes him."

"I think there's more to it than _like_, ladies," Daisy winked, sipping her latte once more.

The Sensational Sisters shared a hearty giggle.

Once safely away from her sisters, Misty had already scanned through Ash's page-long letter twice. It was the usual. Battles, a new gym badge, seeing new Pokémon, anecdotes from his recent adventures with Cilan and Iris, and a little drabble at the end.

"_...and the other day, Pikachu and I were looking for firewood in the forest and we came across a lake. I saw a girl who was like halfway underwater and kicking her legs in the air, like she was trying to do a handstand. I bet Pikachu my hat that you could do better underwater tricks than that. Oh, and yesterday..."_

Misty smiled as she ran back into the lobby, gleefully bouncing down on the sofa and eying the nearest pen and white blank page one of her older siblings had placed on the coffee table while she was absent. So used to this routine already, Daisy, Violet, and Lily nonsensically chatted and went about their business while Misty snatched up the ink pen and began to write.

"_Dear Ash,_

_First off, if you're staring at girls' legs, I'm going to kick you so hard when you come home that you'll end up halfway through Johto..."_

* * *

**Oh, Misty. Even when they're not together, she's threatening Ash out of jealousy. :)**


	12. Twelve: Lust

**Woo, L is here! And it's longer than the other chapters! :D Since this prompt is lust, I must warn you that there is M-rated content within. The prompt may as well have been lemon. XD But if you're uncomfortable with that, just read until Ash and Misty are kissing, because that's where it all starts. XD then you can just skip down to the end, which just concludes the story by tying up a loose end. :) **

**This is my first attempt at writing a lemon, so I hope I did okay! This stuff is sorta hard to write, guys, so I'm not sure how proud of it I am, but we'll see what you guys think! I sort of have a problem with perfectionism in my writing content. XD As usual, my apologies for not giving this a good editing run-through. **

**I'm very proud of myself for getting this up by when I said I would, which is midnight tonight. It's currently 11:30ish. Score one for me. **

**Alright, I'm done rambling. Read away!**

* * *

_**Lust**_

"Ash, try to control yourself!"

Ash Ketchum sat at the kitchen table of his childhood home shoving cookie after cookie into his mouth while his mother, Misty, and Brock looked up from the spread of wedding magazines they had spread out in front of them across the table. As Ash chewed his sixth cookie, he glanced up at the other three seated on the other side of the table.

"What?" he asked through a mouthful of peanut butter and chocolate chip treats.

Brock chuckled and went back to looking through the caterer's menu choices.

"Some things never change," the older man mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean, Brock?" Ash asked innocently, finally clearing his mouth of food. Brock chose not to respond and instead flipped the menu over, examining it quietly.

Delia and Misty, on the other hand, continued to stare wide-eyed at the Pokémon Master, who was seated across from them and Brock.

"Ash, honey, didn't I teach you any manners?" his mother scolded.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Could I see you in the living room for a moment, Ash?" Misty abruptly interjected with a sweet falsetto. Ash leaned back in his chair and raised a dark brow at his wife-to-be.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure interrupting someone while they're talking is a breach of manners."

"Ash," Brock warned, still occupied with the menu.

"But, Brock!"

"Ash, listen to Misty!"

"Mom, I-"

"Come on, Ash." Misty's sweet tone had disappeared. Ash sighed, got up from his seat, and followed his lover into the living room. As soon as Misty deemed they were far enough out of earshot, she bombarded the trainer with blows to the chest.

"I can't believe you embarrassed me like that in there!" Misty whispered loudly, still punching him in the chest.

"Ow! Hey!" Ash whisper-yelled, grabbing Misty's wrists and covering them with his hands. "Stop hitting me!" Misty struggled against him.

"No! Let go of me!"

"I will if you tell me why you're trying to beat me up!"

"Fine!" Ash let go of his lover's wrists and let her arms drop to her sides briefly before she pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Your behavior in there was humiliating!"

"My behavior? You mean the cookies?"

"Yes, the cookies, you nitwit!"

Much to Misty's chagrin, as she stared menacingly into Ash's face, his lips began to curve upward and a happy sound escaped his lips.

"Why are you laughing!?" Misty was becoming more enraged with each passing second. Ash, who noticed the warning signs, stopped his laughter immediately.

"Mist," he started, a cheeky smile still present on his handsome face, "it's my mom and Brock. They've known me longer than anyone!"

"I don't care, Ash, it's still embarrassing. Your love of cookies shouldn't be on display for the public to see. Imagine what people will think at the wedding! They'll think I married a giant pig!" Misty threw her hands into the air exasperatedly.

"Hey, chill out, bridezilla!" Ash shot back, his smile instantly disappearing. "I don't know what your problem is, but this is not a big deal!

"Well I may be a bridezilla, but at least I can go five minutes without shoving ten cookies in my mouth!" Misty took a step closer to Ash and jabbed a finger at his broad chest.

"Bullshit!" Ash cried, inwardly wincing. His mother, who he had forgotten was in the next room probably eavesdropping, was surely going to make him pay for that one. "You love sweets as much as I do!"

"Yeah, well _I _have some self-control," Misty huffed, shutting her eyes and stepping back, arms folded haughtily across her yellow v-necked chest.

"Well, if you have so much 'self-control,'" Ash prodded, adding childish air quotes over his last word, "how about a little bet?"

Misty, intrigued at her lover's request, opened her eyes and turned back toward him.

"What sort of bet?"

"I bet that I can go longer without sweets than you can without... Um, something you like!"

"Oh?" Misty raised a slim brow. "And what would that something be?"

Ash faltered.

"Um..." Ash began, catching Misty's smirk. "Sex!" he exclaimed. "Sex! I can go longer without sweets than you can without sex or anything close to it!" Ash cried victoriously, standing up to his full height.

Misty's eyes widened frightfully, but only for a split second before coolly holding her hand out for Ash to shake. Besides, this would be worse for Ash than it would be for her, right? At least she got dessert.

"Stakes?"

"Loser has to do the dishes for two weeks."

Misty despised washing dishes just as much as Ash, if not more. And for that, holding out on him just might be worth it... Right?

"Deal."

* * *

Brock, crouched at the doorway with Pikachu at his side, raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, man, Ash really did himself in this time."

"Ooh, what did he say now?" Delia bubbled curiously, as she squeezed ketchup into a small bowl for Pikachu.

"Pika!"

"Here you go, sweetheart!" Delia set the bowl on the floor next to Pikachu. The electric mouse happily squealed again. Turning to Brock, she frantically asked, "Now, what happened?"

Brock stood up and smirked at his best friend's mother.

"Ash bet Misty that he could go longer without sweets than she can without-" Here, Brock paused awkwardly, averting his eyes from the older woman's. Delia's brow questioningly shot up.

"Well?"

Brock closed his eyes and gulped, wishing away the embarrassment of sex-talk with _Ash's mom_.

"Sex."

Delia sighed.

"Oh, Ash. He never did learn to think before speaking, did he?"

Brock, who was quite surprised that Delia wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as he was, blinked. Delia snickered.

"Oh, Brock, you don't have to be embarrassed!" she patted the younger man's shoulder comfortingly. "I know what sex is. I've _had _it!"

"Aghh, stop!" Brock covered his ears miserably. "Delia, you're like my other mom. I can't handle this!"

"Fine," Delia rolled her eyes, "I won't mention it again."

"Thank you." Brock exhaled and paused thoughtfully before asking his next question. "Who do you think will cave first?"

Brock saw a vaguely familiar glimmer in the maternal figure's dark amber eyes.

"What do you say we have a little wager, Brock?"

* * *

A week into the bet, Ash had suffered twice as much as he was anticipating. He had failed to remember that Misty abstaining from sex also required _him _to abstain. And not only was he not allowed to have Misty, he also wasn't allowed any cookies, cake, candy, pie, or anything else that tasted yummy.

Desolately, he forced himself into the kitchen, silently thankful that Misty wasn't present to see him suffer.

"Oh, what did I get myself into?" Ash moaned miserably, examining the contents of the fridge in his and Misty's shared home. "My mom brought us a _cake!_"

Slamming the refrigerator shut, Ash dejectedly settled for an apple and proceeded to snack away whilst sitting on the counter.

Misty entered the ample-sized kitchen and silently gasped upon seeing her shirtless fiancé sitting on the counter.

"Hiya, Misty!" he chirped from behind the deep red fruit. Despite having nothing but regret for the bet he made, Ash still brightened upon seeing Misty's face. Failing to notice the rather blank blue-green eyes staring back at him, Ash pointed at the shopping bags in her left hand and asked, "Where ya been all day?"

_Snap out of it, Misty! It's only been a week! Forget your fiancé is hot! Pretend he's fat! Do whatever it takes to win!_

"Oh!" Misty seemed to remember that Ash was speaking to her. "I went to this great lingerie store that Brock recommended! Why he knows about it, I have no intention of ever finding out, but, I got some really great stuff!" Misty decided to leave out the fact that this particular lingerie store was run by nearly naked men.

_I wonder if Brock sent me there because..._

"Oh." Ash's response snapped her out of her reverie once again. "So," he began awkwardly. "Can I see the... stuff?"

Misty blushed. She hadn't expected him to ask her that. Not wanting to appear weak, however, she strode over to the counter and took the spot next to him. The redhead wordlessly pulled out the lacy black thong she had purchased earlier as Ash took another chunk out of the apple.

Ash shifted uncomfortably as her hand came out of the bag, holding up what was probably skimpiest pair of underwear he had ever seen.

The underwear Misty had bought was the darkest shade of midnight that left little to the imagination. The fabric included a thin black string to band around the wearer's waist, a connecting string to run down the rear, and curved into one of the smallest, laciest triangles Ash had ever seen in clothing (or lack thereof) to barely cover the front.

"Wow," he mumbled against the slowly depleting apple. A drop of juice dribbled down his chin, but he was too preoccupied to really notice.

"Yeah," Misty whispered, trailing the juice with darkened aquamarine eyes. The droplet began at his full lips, traced his angular chin, and finally fell onto his broad pectoral. Ash reached for the black lace and felt their fingers brush together as he took the material away from her to examine it more closely. Misty, unable to help herself at this point, reached a slim finger to his broad chest and gently wiped away the juice trail.

She let her index finger travel the same trail as the juice, pushing her filed nail firmly against his strong body and traveling up his neck. Misty felt the rate of Ash's heart increase. Finally landing her finger on Ash's parted lip, she met his dark eyes, which were no longer on the panties.

Ash's barrel brown eyes bore into hers with the unmistakable expression of lust. Misty forced herself to look away.

"I have to go put this stuff upstairs," Misty squawked, abruptly jumping off the counter and snatching the thong from Ash's hand. Ash watched his fiancée scurry out of the kitchen, particularly enjoying the way her behind looked in the tight denim jeans in which her legs were clad.

"Damn, I almost had it!" Ash groaned, chucking the forgotten apple core into the nearby trashcan.

* * *

A few very stressful days later, Misty found herself sitting in her and Ash's bed, moping. Her lover had gone to fetch some water, leaving Misty alone with her thoughts. She had had a very stressful week at the Cerulean Gym, battling trainer after trainer and dealing with mountains of paperwork. Due to the upcoming Indigo League competition, all the gym leaders had to send in countless quarterly reports, documenting battles, training sessions, as well as other business that Misty considered boring.

She noticed her future husband had been under just as much stress, if not even more. The Pokémon Master had been to several meetings in the past few days, interrupting his training countless times. Misty, who knew Ash better than anyone, knew he was really suffering by not being able to enjoy eight brownies and some loving when he came home.

Misty herself was acutely aware of the effect that not having sex was having on her. While she had gone her entire life without it prior to being an adult and being with Ash, making the sudden transition was very tasking. Sex with Ash was, however, her prime form of stress relief.

The young woman briefly wondered how Ash was doing without it, but remembered that there was really no wondering. He had made it painfully obvious with his nervous glances and constant twitches whenever they touched that he was having just as bad of a time as Misty was. More than once this past week, she had considered calling a stalemate on the bet.

_No, you idiot. You can't lose. _

"But I want to lose so, so bad!" Misty found herself saying to the empty room.

Before she realized what she was doing, Misty threw the duvet off her pajama-clad body and sprinted down the stairs.

Ash, who was thoughtfully studying the last piece of chocolate cake his mother had baked them in the refrigerator, heard Misty's light footsteps approach. Wearing just his black boxers and a white T-shirt, he stood in front of the open fridge, the light illuminating the entire room, waiting for his lover to enter. He had recently been occupying the thought of throwing the bet just to have some dessert, as well as some sweet delight with his redheaded beauty. He bit his lip nervously.

"Ash!" Misty's socked feet slid into the kitchen, as she cried his name frantically. Ash, who noticed her distress, ran over to her immediately, leaving the refrigerator door fully open.

"Misty!" Ash gently grabbed her shoulders, eyes wide with worry. "What's wrong? Is someone trying to break in? Pikachu's sleeping in the living room. Let me go get-"

"No, Ash! Everything is fine! I just, well..." Ash's worry began to cease as she trailed off.

"Oh, phew, alright. What's bothering you, then?"

Misty closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and stepped out of his grip.

"I want to call off the bet."

Ash nearly choked on air.

"I know you're going to say I'm a loser for this but this last week-and-a-half has been miserable for the both of us and I really want this but I really don't want to do those stupid dishes so-"

Ash's lips crashed into hers.

Misty's eyes went wide before immediately shutting them, reveling in the feeling of her lover's hands running up through her tank top and down her smooth back. She grabbed fistfuls of his cottony shirt and sighed deeply into his mouth as they both parted their lips, granting each other heated entrances. Misty felt Ash's low moan vibrate through her mouth and whimpered as he pulled away.

"Ash, come on!" Misty tugged on his shirt, trying to pull him back. He wriggled out of her grip and hopped back to the refrigerator.

"I just gotta do one thing first!"

"Seriously?" Misty watched as Ash pulled the last piece of triple chocolate cake out of the fridge, unwrapped the saran wrap, and shoved the entire thing in his mouth in one bite, his ambery eyes closing blissfully.

"Mmm," he moaned through the spongy substance.

"I'm going upstairs, Ash," Misty sing-songed as she turned on her heel and walked toward the stairs leading to their bedroom.

"Not without me!" Ash swallowed his cake after a short moment and ran after her.

_Man, that cake was good. Too good. It's almost like my mom knew..._

Ash shook his head violently as he took the stairs two at a time to catch up with Misty.

"Now is not the time to think about Mom," Ash grumbled to himself as he threw the bedroom door open, only to be bombarded by kisses from the beautiful redhead in front of him.

Before he really understood what was happening, Misty had thrown his shirt urgently over his head. She traced her nails up and down his solid chest and chiseled abdomen. Ash reclaimed her lips with his, pushing her back into the unmade bed.

Misty giggled softly as she fearlessly fell backwards, bringing Ash with her and never losing lip contact. She leaned her torso up towards him and he tugged her vibrant green tank top over her head, tossing the item carelessly behind them. Ash briefly met her lips once more before moving down to her uncovered chest, gently squeezing her left breast and taking her right into his mouth.

"Mm, I missed you two," he mumbled, closing his eyes and taking her into his mouth once more.

"Ash," Misty whined.

"Jeez, Misty, you're so impatient," Ash laughed, still hovering over her chest, as she wrapped her muscular legs around his torso, effectively positioning him right between.

"Oh, like you're not!" Misty snapped. She roughly grabbed the back of his head and pulled him back into her lips. "Now stop talking," she growled, moving down his neck and softly biting his shoulder.

Thankfully for Misty, Ash had no response but to finger the waistband of her polyester shorts. She felt herself shudder involuntarily under his hot touch. Ash pulled the fabric down and Misty relinquished the tight grip her legs held on Ash's waist so he could pull them down. When Ash opened his eyes, he found that he could only blink at the bare spot that had previously been occupied by little white shorts.

"Misty," he moaned against her lips, which, at some point, had fallen back onto his. "Why aren't you wearing any-?"

"I think a better question is _why are_ _you_?"

"Right." Ash wriggled out of his uncomfortably tight boxers and discarded them with the rest of their clothing. He felt Misty's slender hand slowly moving down his chest to an obvious destination.

Ash shuddered at Misty's touch as she wrapped her hand around him and rubbed.

"Misty," he gritted warningly as soon as the pleasure waves began to build. Wordlessly, Ash forced himself to remove her hand, instead repositioning himself between her ready legs. He brought his lips to her neck and brought his hand down between their bodies, trailing his finger down to her lower lips, inserting the tip of his index finger into her body before adding his middle finger as well.

"Now, Ash, right now," she moaned.

Not wanting to disobey, Ash quickly caught on and pulled his wet fingers out and instead replaced them with his ready manhood.

The feeling of their bodies connecting in the most natural, carnal way possible was enough to make Misty's eyes roll back into her head. Rising up to meet each thrust second after second, Misty felt Ash reclaim her bosoms with his hands, fingers brushing over her nipples roughly before his hands moved to sturdy himself against the frame of the bed, allowing him to thrust harder.

"Yes!" Misty grabbed the blanket under her and bunched it up in her fists, feeling her finish approaching.

Misty vice-gripped his wrists, pulled them away from the frame, and flipped their bodies over in one effective maneuver. Even during sex, Ash marveled at her seemingly superhuman strength.

Feeling his climax approaching, he grabbed Misty's sides, squeezing his thumbs against her taut stomach as she rode him, both of them delivering blissful moans Ash reached down to where their bodies touched and pushed his fingers hard against his lover's pleasure center rhythmically.

"_Oh_, _Asshh!_"

Misty's already-shut eyelids clamped tightly as she felt herself clench around Ash, the typhoon of release crashing down on them both. Ash's hips continued to meet hers, albeit sporadically, as they both rode their pleasure out.

Misty gasped a final time and collapsed on top of Ash, panting against his naked body.

"Oomph," he grunted, as she fell on him, his face now covered by her loose orangey waves. Wrapping his arms around her slender torso, Ash's panting began to die down.

"That was better than makeup sex."

"How about breakup sex?" Misty quipped, pressing her lips against his warm shoulder and pushing the rest of her face into the cold pillow.

"Wouldn't know, would I?"

* * *

"I can't believe this is happening," Brock muttered.

The breeder pulled his car up to Delia Ketchum's driveway, pulled the key out of the ignition, and popped the trunk.

The call he had been dreading all week came the previous day. Brock had groaned upon hearing Ash excitedly tell Brock that Misty had called the bet off which meant, in Ash's words, he could "have both cake _and _Misty for dessert!"

Brock had cut his best friend off before he could go into details. Not only not wanting to hear about his childhood friends' sex lives, Brock could hardly stand the fact he had lost his bet to Delia.

However, Brock had lost fair and square and fully intended to pay up. He stepped out of the car and retrieved the tall box from the back. Carrying the heavy object up to the front door, Brock set the package down gingerly and rang the bell. He heard familiar voices behind it.

"Mimey, could you get that for me?"

"Mime, Mr. Mime!"

The jester Pokémon opened the door to reveal none other than Brock, leaning on a box that reached to just below his elbow.

Delia bustled to the door as Mr. Mime opened it, first smiling at Brock and then smirking at the mysterious box.

"I can't believe you were right about Misty calling off the bet," Brock deadpanned, still leaning in the doorway. "How do you even predict something like that?"

"Oh, Brock, a mother knows everything!" Delia winked and stepped aside, allowing Brock an entrance. "Won't you come inside? I just made lunch!"

"I'd love to, but I have to get back to work." Brock first carried the box into the foyer for the older woman but soon returned to his place at her doorstep.

"Are you sure? I have plenty!"

"Yeah, I have to work off that brand new Dyson vacuum I just bought you," Brock grumbled good-naturedly. Delia giggled and flicked the eternally stray strands from her ponytail out of her face.

"Don't mess with a master, Brock, dear!"

The pair said their goodbyes and Brock took one long sigh before walking back to his vehicle.

"I really wanted that vacuum, too."

* * *

**Oh, Delia. Such a mastermind. XD **

**I hope this didn't suck. Like I said, I've never written a full-on lemon before, so I went sort of out of my comfort zone. I feel like I could have done better. Maybe next time. ;)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	13. Thirteen: Mother

**Hello, all. As always, here is your haphazardly edited update. I'm so impatient. XD **

**I think I'm rather pleased with this one. More than anything else, I'm happy with how it suddenly shot out of my brain after I thought for sure it wouldn't.**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

_**Mother**_

Delia Ketchum stood patiently in the supermarket line, her beloved Mimey chattering happily beside her.

"Mime, mime, Mr. Mime!"

"I love grocery shopping too, Mimey!" Delia giggled. She examined the contents of her cart. Delia thought it would be just enough. However, some would consider her twelve bell peppers, six cucumbers, eight onions, seventeen heads of lettuce, and fifteen tomatoes an industrial amount of vegetables, but those people obviously didn't see the twenty-four packages of chicken thighs and thirty-two steaks under all of the vegetables.

And she still hadn't counted the fruits.

"Mime?" A confused cry from her companion brought her out of her reverie.

"What is it, Mimey?"

"Mr. Mime!" The clown Pokémon pointed at the magazine rack next to them.

Glancing at the customers in front of her, Delia figured she wouldn't hold up the line at all if she turned her attention to the magazines her friend so adamantly pointed out. Turning her head in the direction of Mr. Mime's finger, she spotted the object of his attention and gasped immediately. Delia's eyes landed on a tabloid, _The Regional Inquisitor_, which held her beloved son and daughter-in-law in a most compromising position on the front page.

Misty Ketchum stood on the green outskirts of Cerulean Park, one hand over her stomach, head thrown back from laughter. The redhead's mane blew in the wind, her slim body donning denim skinny jeans, a fitted white T-shirt with a purple Starmie printed on the front, and a blue cardigan. Ash Ketchum, clad in a simple pair of black jeans and a light blue hoodie was on the grass in front of her, standing on his knees with his ear pressed against her stomach, also laughing. It was apparent that the couple was enjoying a casual day off.

_The way they're paying attention to Misty's stomach... Could it be?!_

Noticing the line in front of her moving forward, Delia snatched the paper, adding it to her cart and promising herself to examine it more closely once she reached her car.

Once she and Mr. Mime finally paid for all the groceries and made it into the car, Delia retrieved the singular object of her thoughts from the back seat and read the boldfaced header.

"YOUNG LOVE, YOUNG LOVE CHILD? IS THE POKEMON MASTER'S WIFE _PREGNANT? _LET'S FIND OUT!"

The still-young mother felt her heart beat wildly. She moved her eyes downward to the photo, taking up the entire page. Ash was, like she saw before, kneeling down and pressing his ear against Misty's stomach. Misty still had her hand just above his ear, pressed against her taut stomach. Delia hadn't expected the picture to change in the time from when she originally saw it to when she looked at it more closely, but she still couldn't believe her eyes. But her son and surrogate daughter's body language were just too obvious to ignore.

Misty was pregnant.

"And no one even told me!" Delia cried abruptly to the pages in her lap. Mr. Mime sat in the passenger seat, watching his master intently.

"Mime?"

"We're going home and unloading these groceries, Mimey. And then _I'm _going to get to the bottom of this! Would you mind putting them all away when we get home? I have to go visit Ash and Misty."

Her Pokémon friend energetically cried his compliance. Delia smiled sweetly at him before starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

_Those kids don't know who they're messing with, not telling me of all people. _

"Never mess with an expecting grandmother," Delia muttered.

Mr. Mime agreed once again.

* * *

Ash Ketchum sat comfortably on the black leather couch in his and Misty's living room, television glowing, remote in his left hand, and his right stroking the hair of his loved one, who rested her head in his lap. Misty's loose locks strayed over her face as soft snores came out of her nostrils. Pikachu was curled in her arms, happily snoozing beside her.

Ash removed his arm from the sofa's arm rest, unsticking it in the process. Misty had insisted upon buying a home together that they have a leather couch not only because she found them comfortable and sophisticated, but also because of the "delicious smell." He hadn't really understood why a sticky leather couch was better than any other sofa, but he'd obliged. As long as it meant he got to sit down, Ash was pleased.

The Pokémon Master returned his attention to the T.V. and clicked buttons on the remote until he finally found something he was satisfied with: one of his own battles.

Unfortunately for Ash, the doorbell rang as soon as the match started, interrupting Ash's bout of laziness. He carefully removed Misty's head from his lap, replacing his legs with a pillow. He walked over to the door, grumbling about people who interrupted hardworking Pokémon Masters on their days off. Finally reaching the front door, Ash swung it open only to have something thrown in his face.

"What is the meaning of this, young man?"

"Mom?" Ash sputtered from behind the object.

"Explain yourself right now, mister!" Delia demanded, still shoving the offending article in her son's face.

"Shh! You'll wake Misty! Now what are you so worked up about?" Ash whisper-yelled, grabbing the magazine from his mother's hand and revealing her _very displeased _face. Ash wracked his brain to try to figure out what he could have done to make his mom so mad. She never got mad like this.

Stepping aside to let his mother through the door, Ash shut it behind her and examined the paper for himself.

"'Love child'?" Ash exclaimed, his face turning white. "What the hell is this, Mom?"

"Language, Ashton!"

"Mom, you know that's not my name anymore!" Ash said through gritted teeth. He glanced nervously at the back of the couch, silently praying _someone _was still asleep.

"So? Misty uses it!" Delia shot back hotly. "And you know what, Mister-Not-Tell-Me-I'm-A-Grandma? I happen to like it!"

"Who's a grandma?" A sleepy voice asked from the living room.

Misty sat up from the couch to find her husband being stared down by her mother-in-law in the foyer.

"Oh, Misty, I'm so happy for you!" Misty, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, was tackled by Delia, receiving probably the tightest hug she'd ever gotten.

She tentatively hugged Delia back, looking over her shoulder to mouth to her husband, "What the hell is happening?"

Ash looked just as confused as she felt.

"I think she thinks you're pregnant," he silently responded. This woke Misty up instantly.

The gym leader carefully pulled herself away from Delia, looking into her teary brown eyes and bright smile. Finally extracting herself, Misty gained the courage to open her mouth.

"Um, Delia... What's going on?"

"Oh, you don't have to pretend!" Delia slapped her shoulder in a manner that Misty _assumed _was meant to be light, but actually caused a small amount of pain. "Although I'm a little hurt that you and Ash-" she paused to turn around and glare at her son- "didn't tell me. But it's okay, because I'm finally going to have grandbabies!"

Misty, who never remembered feeling this confused before, took what appeared to be a magazine from her approaching husband's grasp, scratching her head thoughtfully through her tussled hair. Misty's eyes widened when she read the headline.

"Oh, this is such an adorable picture of you two!" Delia squealed, clasping her hands together in delight. "But soon there will be three of you!"

The woman missed the look shared between the young lovers, as her eyes were closed, blissfully imagining all the different baby combinations that her son and daughter-in-law could have possibly made.

Misty caught her husband's now-smiling eyes as they both seemed to realize the same thing before bursting into unexpected laughter. Delia opened her eyes at the harmonic noise, now finding it was her turn to be confused.

"Wh—what's so funny?"

"Mom," Ash wheezed, gasping for breath, "These tabloids are full of it!"

"B—but, the picture! You're listening to Misty's stomach! You're listening for a baby!"

"Mom," he giggled again, "I'm listening to Misty's stomach growl. She was _hungry_."

Delia's eyes went wide and she felt her heart plunge to her stomach. She turned to Misty desperately.

"So, you're...you're not...?"

Misty's giggles died down enough to give her mother-in-law a sympathetic look.

"Sorry, Delia. The paparazzi made all that up."

"Now, Mom," Ash interjected, placing a warm hand on his mother's shoulder, "We've told you that you can't listen to these silly tabloids. Everything they say is a lie," Ash declared firmly to his mother, whose head hung desolately.

"We were walking through the park yesterday and I was so hungry that my stomach was roaring and Ash leaned down to listen to it. And that's when the reporters must have snapped the picture. We're sorry for disappointing you, really!" Misty took Delia in her arms, removing Ash's hand in the process. The brunette sighed deeply while Misty stroked her few eternally messy, stray locks. "And I promise, you're the _first _I'd tell. Maybe even first before Ash," Misty whispered into her mother-in-law's ear, just loud enough for only them to hear. She felt Delia smile into her shoulder.

Half an hour later, after clearing up the pregnancy caper and sitting down for a cup of coffee, Delia said her goodbyes to Ash and Misty and made her way out the door, thus returning to her home in Pallet Town for an evening that would be well-spent in the garden.

As soon as Ash shut the door behind his mother, he turned around to find Misty, winking devilishly at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smirked.

"Want to go practice this baby-making business?" Ash nodded and returned her wink. Misty leaned up and whispered into her husband's ear. "But first... What did you mean when you said Ashton isn't your name _anymore_?"

Not for the first time that day, Ash went pale.

* * *

**Alright, we're halfway done! N is coming soon to fanfic near you!**


	14. Fourteen: Name

**This didn't turn out as well as I had anticipated. Blah. **

**Read it anyway. XD**

* * *

_**Name**_

_Misty leaned up and whispered into her husband's ear. "But first... What did you mean when you said Ashton isn't your name_ _anymore?"_

* * *

It had been three days since Ash's mother had gone bananas over the prospect of Misty being pregnant.

It had also been three days since Misty had asked Ash about his name.

Ash shuddered at the thought. He wasn't sure quite why the name Ashton had such an effect on him, but he did know that he truly despised it. Naturally, he had asked Misty to stop calling him that back when they were just children, but that had only worsened the pain.

Ash sighed over his mound of paperwork. His large office at the Indigo Plateau was literally the last place he wanted to be at twelve at night. Or was it twelve in the morning? Ash was never really sure how that worked.

He supposed Misty didn't really cause _pain _when she called him... the _thing_. It was just terribly _annoying. _Ash was normally a very easy going man, hardly ever annoyed at little things. However, when it came to Misty, the person whom he loved more than anything, it was a different story. She knew exactly how to get under his skin.

Realizing he was no longer even doing the paperwork that plagued him, Ash dropped his hated, expensive fountain pen—the League gave him drawer completely full of them, stating that the Pokémon Master was _required _to use the best writing utensils—on his desk, purposely forgot to tidy his desk, retrieved his jacket, and quickly locked up his office after picking up a snoozing Pikachu from the beige loveseat in the corner of the room.

As he stood alone in the elevator, with only a sleeping Pokémon for company, Ash considered what would happen if he told Misty the secret of his name. He had never told anyone before, save for his mother. But that was only because he sort of had to. She was the one who named him, after all.

The elevator dinged pleasantly and released the last person in the building, carrying his beloved Pikachu in his arms. After stepping into the brisk, black night, Ash retrieved a minimized Pokéball from his belt.

"Charizard, I choose you!"

The orange dragon roared exuberantly upon being released, his flame giving off the only light in the dim terrace.

"Hi, buddy!" Ash patted the creature's head affectionately. "Ready to fly home? Pikachu and I are pretty tired. I guess you probably are too, after all the training we did today, huh?" Ash laughed.

Charizard smiled (if that was possible for him to do) and lowered his wings so Ash and Pikachu could board.

"Pika?" the quiet, sleepy query caught Ash's attention before taking off.

"Relax, Pikachu. We're just flying home. Go back to sleep," Ash commanded gently, lightly stroking Pikachu's head. Knowing his master had to hold on to Charizard, Pikachu sleepily climbed up to Ash's shoulder and fell asleep once more.

"Alright, Charizard, let's go home!" Ash dug his heel into the dragon's side and before Ash knew it, they were soaring in the air. His mind wandered once more to Misty and the caper of his name.

"If I told her..." Ash muttered under his breath, expecting someone to prompt him into finishing his sentence, but received no reply, as he was alone in the night air with his Pokémon, his voice drowned out by the wind.

_Pro: It would get Misty off my back._

_Con: It won't be a secret._

_Pro: Maybe she'll stop calling me... that name._

_Con: She'll never stop calling me... that name._

_Pro: Um..._

_Con: Then she'll _know _about it and it won't drive her nuts anymore._

_Pro: Uh..._

Ash figured the cons outweighed the pros, but as the three beings landed in the driveway of the familiar Cerulean City home and Ash called Charizard back into his ball for a good night's sleep, he figured he should just get it out of the way. After all, if they were going to be married for the rest of their lives, she'd find out somehow.

He opened the front door as quietly as he could manage, removed his shoes and coat, and placed Pikachu on his favorite couch cushion in the living room. Ash pulled the knitted afghan off the end of the sofa and placed over his favorite furry companion.

"G'night, buddy. Love ya."

Pikachu snored in response.

Satisfied, Ash trekked up the stairs. A small part of him hoped that Misty was still awake so he could tell her the story and get it over with, but a larger portion hoped she was asleep so he could continue putting it off. Ash opened the door, silently entering the room to see his gorgeous wife's body rising slowly with deep breaths, the lamp on her nightstand still illuminating the bedroom.

"No story for you tonight, Misty!" he whispered victoriously to himself.

She was snoozing on her side, facing away from him. Stripping out of his clothes from the day, Ash studied her, as he had done every late night before. He could see the outline of her angelic face, but her sunrise locks encompassed the rest. The duvet covered her legs and hips, coming to a stop just under her arm. Ash noticed the lilac nightgown that was guaranteed to be cut short at the thighs and briefly wondered if he could have gotten lucky had he been home earlier. However, he remembered that nothing else mattered in that moment, as long as he could put off telling the grueling tale of his name.

_She's totally out. I win!_

"Ash?"

_I married a mind reader, I swear, _Ash thought miserably, as he crawled under the duvet, settling himself on his cool pillow. Misty rolled over to look at him, her heavily lidded eyes fluttering open to reveal familiar, breathtaking aquamarine irises.

"Shh, it's me. I just got home from work."

"I missed you." Misty rolled herself into his arms and hugged him tightly, pressing her nose into his cotton T-shirt. Ash felt a familiar warmth spread throughout his entire body.

"I missed you too, believe me." Ash returned her tight embrace and pressed a soft kiss against the crown of her head. He hoped to Arceus she would fall back asleep as pushed herself away from him to look at his haggard face.

"What did you do today? You don't look so well."

_Nope, she's awake now._

"Oh, nothing interesting. The usual Pokémon Master stuff. Training. And loads of paperwork. I don't even know what the paperwork is _about_," Ash moaned, momentarily forgetting the Ashton woes. "I don't know why they're making me do all of it. The League isn't for another six months. I just wish I at least had an exciting battle coming up."

"Life's a bitch, isn't it?"

"You always know just what to say," Ash bit, albeit smiling widely. "What did you do today?"

"Kicked the asses of little kids who thought I was a pushover. Not one badge escaped this girl!" Misty smirked, cockily leaning her head back into her hands as she rolled onto her back. Ash tried not to stare at the bottom of her nightgown as it rode up to reveal lacy underwear under the covers.

_Not now_, he thought determinedly.

"Whatchya' looking at down there, Ashton?"

Ash twitched.

"Fine!" he shouted abruptly. "You want to know about my name? I'll tell you!"

Misty, who was undeniably shocked at her husband's outburst, sat up and glared down at him.

"Why the hell are you yelling at me?"

"I'm not yelling at you!"

"Ash, you're _so_ yelling!"

"Fine, I'm yelling at you!" Ash had also sat up by this point. Misty, feeling nearly as confused as she did when Delia gushed over her nonexistent baby three days prior, she tentatively reached out and patted her lover's broad shoulder.

"Okay, we've established that. Now can you tell me why?"

"No!"

"Don't snap at me like that! You're acting like a child, Ash, and I just want to know what your damn problem is so I can help you!"

Ash suddenly felt as if his pants had fallen down in the middle of a televised event. Feeling the embarrassment rise to his cheeks, he tried to turn away from Misty, but her hand forcefully jerked him back into looking into her expectant face.

"Uh... sorry?" Ash offered sheepishly.

"Good start. Now talk."

Ash sighed for the umpteenth time that day.

"My name... _used _to be... Ashton."

"What does that even mean?" Misty's eyebrow shot up exasperatedly.

"It means I legally changed it!" Ash blurted, his eyelids squeezed shut. He took a chance and opened his right eye, hoping to anything holy that Misty wouldn't be laughing at him.

Any hope he had in that moment was mercilessly destroyed.

"You _legally changed your name_?" Misty gasped through large bouts of giggles, her head thrown back with mirth.

"Yes!" Ash squawked, insecurely wrapping his arms around his cotton-clad chest.

"Babe, that's so ridiculous! What's so bad about Ashton?"

"It's dorky," he mumbled, childishly falling back against his pillow. He buried his face in it while Misty's giggles continued.

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

"It was my father's name."

"Good try, Mister Pokémon Master. I know for a fact that Ashton was _not _your father's name. Don't play that card with me!"

"Fine," Ash sighed into the pillow. "Other kids used to beat me up about it. My name was shortened, but they all had manly names, like Eric, or Steve, or Bill!"

To Ash's dislike, Misty began to wail even harder. He threw his pillow over his head.

"Ash," Misty giggled, gently, removing the pillow from his grasp and setting it between them. "Steve is short for Stephen. And Bill is short for William!" Misty stroked the back of his unkempt head as he continued to push it against the mattress.

"I don't care. I hated it. So I legally changed it to Ash once I was old enough."

"You're such a dummy," Misty smiled.

"Thanks," he spat, looking into her cheery eyes for the first time since his confession.

"Oh, honey, you know I don't mean it! And your name is nothing to be embarrassed about! I promise I won't tell anyone!" Misty cooed, lying back down against her own pillow, taking Ash's hand in hers and squeezing tightly.

"You won't?" He sat up hopefully. "So does this mean you'll stop calling me Ashton?"

Misty giggled sweetly once again.

"Of course not! I'll torture you with that until the day we die!" Misty swiftly kissed his cheek and turned away from him to turn off the lamp. "Goodnight!" she trilled cheerily. Ash replaced his pillow and rolled to the edge of his side of the bed.

_I never should have said anything._

After several moments of silence, in which Ash had felt the beginnings of sleep, he heard his wife's unmistakable, trilling voice.

"I can't believe you _legally _changed your name."

* * *

**Eh, I had bigger plans for Ash's name confession... but when I tiredly tried to write this at like 1 A.M., I ended up falling asleep and I forgot what those name plans were when I woke up. I'm a little mad at myself for being unable to remember. Oh well. I hope you enjoyed it all the same!**


	15. Fifteen: Obnoxious

**This one's rather short, but I probably won't update for another couple days, so you get what you get. :)**

* * *

_**Obnoxious**_

Eighteen-year-old (but almost nineteen, he would add, when Misty reminded him that she was _already_ nineteen) Ash Ketchum glanced at the portion of the audience situated behind him and tried not to wince, knowing the cameras would catch him.

There he stood with Pikachu, his last available Pokémon, breathing heavily on the battlefield before him. Lance, the last of the Elite Four, stood on the opposite side with _his _last Pokémon, a battered Dragonite. This was end of the battle which would determine whether Ash would be Kanto's next champion. Ash Ketchum was battling the most important battle of his entire life so far.

And his girlfriend was sitting in the stands directly behind him, embarrassing him enough for three lifetimes.

The cry of, "IF YOU DON'T WIN, DON'T EXPECT TO GET ANY ACTION FROM _ME!_" had forced Ash's skin to go beet red. It wouldn't have been so bad if she would have whispered that in his ear as pre-battle motivation because he would have been the only one to hear it. In fact, he would have laughed. However, he should have known Misty Waterflower well enough to know that she would say it the precise moment there was a suspenseful lull in the battle.

Most of the audience laughed, Lance chuckled, and Ash died on the inside.

"Dragonite, use Thunderwave!"

Ash immediately threw his mind back into battle.

"Agility, Pikachu!"

As Ash had expected, Pikachu dodged the attack and came to a panting rest.

"Now that you wore it out, Dragonite, finish it off with a Hyper Beam!"

"ASH, DID YOU HEAR HIM? HE'S USING HYPER BEAM!"

Ash clenched his teeth.

_Yes, Misty, I heard. I happen to be _battling _him., _Ash thought rancorously as Dragonite powered up and aimed at Pikachu.

"Hold your ground, Pikachu!" Ash screamed. He hoped with everything he had that Pikachu understood the unspoken command to stay in one spot until just before the dragon type fired.

"Pi!"

Ash took that as an answer to his prayers.

Lance's partner fluttered its wings and hovered over Pikachu, the colorful beam just about to escape its open mouth.

"Get out of there, Pikachu!"

The crowd roared as the Hyper Beam collided with the ground, causing a vortex of dust to rise in the air, blowing a harsh breeze under Ash's hat. He held the garment down and covered his eyes, the dust causing them to water.

Pikachu was nowhere to be found.

"ASH, HOW COULD YOU LET PIKACHU DO THAT?"

"I know what I'm doing, Misty," Ash muttered, his blood boiling hotter and hotter every time her voice rang out. Normally, she wasn't like this during his battles.

_I can't focus on that right now._

"Pikachu?" Ash called out, waiting for the smokey dust to clear. The wind died down and he caught a glimpse of a small, rodent-like creature crouching on the far left corner of the stadium, hiding behind the flying dust throughout the stadium.

_Lance had Dragonite use Hyper Beam, and if he used Hyper Beam, that means he's going to have to be immobile immediately after, and immediately after means right now, so—_

"PIKACHU, USE THUNDER!"

Ash shouldn't have been shocked to hear that he wasn't the only one screaming those words at the top of his lungs.

Pikachu, however, seemed not to hear Misty, knowing that a second's hesitation would completely ruin his trainer's strategy.

"PIKA-CHHHUUUUUUUU!"

While the smoke finally cleared completely, Ash caught sight of Lance's unsuspecting Dragonite take the direct hit, fizzling out. The dragon took a harsh fall to the ground, sizzling.

"Dragonite!" Lance gasped.

Ash knew he'd won.

"Dragonite is unable to battle, the match goes to Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, the new Kanto Champion!"

"YES, GO ASH!"

The new champion heard his girlfriend's screams over all of the crowd's applause. Choosing to ignore the matter for the moment, he instead met a running Pikachu with open arms. His starter jumped and buried his face in his shoulder.

"We did it!"

"Pipikachu!" Pikachu's familiar victory cry rang in his ear. He pulled the Pokémon away from him and held him in the air as he cutely held up two fingers, creating their trademark victory sign.

"I owe it to you, Pikachu!"

"Pika!"

"Ash!" Cilan, Iris, Brock, and his mother hurried up to him, looking somewhere between excited and uncomfortable as they pretended not to hear Misty's shouts from behind asking them to wait for her.

The first to embrace him were Iris and Cilan, congratulating him warmly.

"Great battle, Ash!"

"You're a battling connoisseur, Ash!" Ash chuckled at his green-headed friend, but was cut off by a crushing hug from who he realized to be his mother.

"Oh, Ash, I'm so proud!" she choked cheerfully. Ash felt the hot tears against his face as he returned her tight hug.

"Thanks, Mom."

"I always knew you'd get this far."

"And he can only keep going!" Delia relinquished her son and turned to the breeder next to her, who clapped Ash's shoulder heartily.

"You're right, Brock!"

Misty, who was just approaching, launched herself onto and wrapped all four of her limbs around his body, ceremoniously shoving her tongue in his mouth for a victory kiss. Ash momentarily forgot his annoyance with her and kissed her back enthusiastically. However, once he heard Brock's wolf whistling, as well as the entire stadium's, he pulled away and waited for Misty to release him. Ash caught the approaching Lance who was surely coming to congratulate him in his peripheral vision. The champion did his best to not seem angry as he gently nudged his girlfriend.

"Uh, Misty, d'ya think you could get down now? Lance is coming."

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry." Ash caught Misty's blush as she sheepishly unwrapped her legs from Ash's waist and hopped off him. Misty apparently missed the irritation in his voice, for she didn't angrily lash out at him, mortifying him even more so.

_Thank Arceus. And people think _I'm _the immature one_.

* * *

**Misty's such a loudmouth. I could so see her doing something like this. XD**


	16. Sixteen: Pattern

**I almost beat my usual goal of posting before midnight. Almost. But after actually having a life the past few days, I have to say I'm doing pretty damn good. XD**

**The writing in this one is a bit different, but I enjoyed writing it. Enjoy reading!**

* * *

_**Pattern**_

_A nervous tick._

_An apprehensive glance._

_The calender._

_February._

_The third Monday._

_An unkempt head hits the whitewall._

* * *

Ash Ketchum had no qualms in admitting that he was not the most perceptive man to graze the planet, so it was sort of a big deal when the young Kanto Champion realized something very important about his girlfriend.

At the same time every month, her many moods began to change _drastically _for the same amount of days every time.

Ash wasn't stupid. He knew that a girl's womanhood did weird stuff to her. His mother had never failed to explain anatomy of both the male and female flavor to her young son whenever she had the chance. Delia would say she wanted to prepare her son. Ash would say she wanted to torture him.

No, the real thing the eighteen-year-old was proud of himself for solving was what came _before _the period part.

PMS.

While Ash could never remember what it stood for, he knew it made girls twice as crazy than they already were. After all, he had traveled with enough prepubescent girls to know that certain weeks out of each and every month became more and more torturous as the years went on. Not Dawn, nor May, nor Iris could compare to the pure terror that Misty Waterflower herself could cause.

The PMS-thingy was perhaps even worse than the real deal when it came to Misty (and Ash), which was why he decided it would be beneficial for everyone involved if he started to take notes on Misty's behavior every month so he could handle it properly.

Ash took great care not to let his longtime girlfriend see these notes. The last thing the aspiring Pokémon Master needed was his head chopped off and every ounce of blood sucked out of his veins. So to avoid this, he kept his notes a secret, leaving them on his desk at the Indigo Plateau. At first, Ash had entertained the theory that maybe he was just being paranoid in thinking that Misty would find his notes.

On the other hand, the last time he had tried to hide something from Misty, he had been pummeled by an disconcertingly familiar mallet that he hadn't seen in a few years. The worst part was that the thing he had been hiding was a gift for her seventeenth birthday. Although when Ash thought about it, he remembered that that particular day must have been the dreaded Day Four of PMS.

Day Four was Unprecedented Rage.

_But, _the trainer remembered, _today's only Day One. I can get through this._

So, when the apprehensive and already defeated Ash Ketchum stepped foot in the Cerulean Gym on the third Monday in February, he prepared himself for the first day of the most beautiful Hell on Earth with Misty Waterflower, the most devilish angel he had ever met.

* * *

_Ten years later..._

"What the hell is this?" Misty Ketchum curiously murmured to herself, quickly throwing a glance at the empty doorway.

No one.

Why not snoop through her husband's desk?

_Well it's not really snooping_ through _it if he leaves things out for everyone to see, _Misty though devilishly as she set the sack she had entered with down on Ash's desk and plopped herself into his cushiony black chair.

The only reason the Cerulean gym leader was at her husband's desk was because that morning, Ash had been in such a rush to leave for work that he had forgotten the lunch she had so dutifully packed for him. Some days, Misty would have told him that she was neither his maid nor his mother and that it was his job to feed himself. Today, however, Misty was feeling uncommonly generous. The young woman couldn't really explain her giving mood, but she chalked it up to the simple fact that she felt her period coming on. That was a good enough excuse for anything.

So, Misty left her unusually boring gym, sped home to pack her husband's lunch, and finally ended up sitting at Ash's desk, waiting for him to return to his office from wherever he currently was.

She took another look at the object that had originally captured her eye. It was an aged, bright red spiral notebook. There was no title on the cover, no breaks in the metal spiral, and the book was closed. It looked completely normal.

Misty knew better than to think that something that looked normal really was normal.

Leaning forward in the swivel chair, Misty took another cautionary look at the empty door.

_Still no one. Now's your chance, Misty!_

She deftly turned the battered red cover of the notebook to the very first page.

_Ash Ketchum's Guide to Womanly Patterns._

"'Womanly patterns'?" Misty questioned aloud, turning the page. Her husband's sharp, untidy scrawl greeted her once more.

_PMS- Don't know what it is? You poor, poor sap._

Misty's eyes widened as her eyes continued to scan the pages, flipping them wildly in case the suspect in question entered the room. She felt a practiced rage begin to boil her insides. Her husband had taken notes on every menstrual cycle she had had since she was about eighteen. Misty wasn't sure if she should be angry at him for continuously documenting her behavior or proud of him for his diligence.

But that might have been the upcoming period talking.

* * *

**I rather liked this. I'm thinking of eventually writing up Ash's documentation of Misty's periodical mood swings. :)**


	17. Seventeen: Quarrel

**I'm back with an update! It took a few days this time, and I'm sorry about that! I just lost the writing time, but I think I've got it back now. Here's Q for your enjoyment! I was so excited to upload it that I literally just finished typing and posted it! I didn't even go over it and completely change things like the incredibly OCD girl I am. XD**

**You don't care about my quirks (another Q word), I know. Read away!**

* * *

_**Quarrel**_

"It's not a big deal!"

"It _is _a big deal, Ash! Obviously you don't understand!"

Ash leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on the cherrywood table in front of him, allowing his forehead to fall onto his fists.

"Misty, they're just flowers! Who cares if we have orchids or gardenias at our wedding? No one is judging us!"

"They aren't judging _us _Ash, they're judging _me_! I can't let you pick the wrong thing!" Misty bit from her place on the right of Ash, who was seated at the left end of the table. She spread the seventeen bridal magazines in front of them out further for a better view.

"God, Mist, you're being completely ridiculous. Why did you even ask for my opinion?" Ash snapped. After an hour of wedding planning with his redheaded beauty, the trainer felt his usually plentiful patience wearing dangerously thin.

"Because you're in this wedding too, Ash! I want you to be just as happy as I am, but I can't have you embarrassing me!"

"Embarrassing?" Ash's head jerked up. He felt the last drops of self-control evaporate from his body. "Well you know what doesn't make _me _happy? Fighting with you over this stupid bullshit!"

"Oh, so now you think our _wedding _is bullshit? Well excuse me, mister, but _you _are the one who proposed to _me _so why don't you just think a little harder about what you're saying?" Misty's now condescending voice was becoming increasingly louder as well as she stood up from her seat and bent over the irritated man in front of her.

"What are you saying, Misty?" Ash snarled, rising from his seat so he towered over her. "Do you think I'm stupid? Or do you want to break it off just because of something as stupid is this? Is that it?" he sneered, bending over so he was in her face.

"No, I just don't see why you're acting like such an _asshole _right now! All I said was I don't want to be emb- "

"Maybe it's because you're making me sit here with you and pick out stupid girly stuff like flowers and dresses and asking me what I think only to tell me that what I think is stupid, embarrassing, and wrong!" Ash screeched in one breath.

"Just get out of my face, you big ugly brute!" Misty shouted, grabbing fistfuls of his jacket and pushing him roughly away from her. Ash stumbled, knocking over the chair he had previously occupied before feeling the veins in his forehead pulsate violently.

"Don't you fucking push me like that!" Ash yelled right back, righting himself.

"Watch your language, asshole!"

Both were breathing heavily, their infamous tempers having gotten the better of them. The tension in the air was so thick, Ash swore Pikachu's tail would have cut through it had he not been playing outside. He stood completely still, making no effort to initiate an apology session. Misty made him uncommonly upset with her constant babbling of him humiliating her in the upcoming wedding. Deep in the pit of his stomach, he knew he lashed out because she had hurt his feelings.

Why would she say stuff like that? Ash would never purposely hurt _her _feelings. If he was being honest with himself, though, the worst part of arguing with Misty was _arguing _with _Misty. _To want to metaphorically choke out the love of his _life _was indescribably painful for Ash. He felt a the crack in his heart widen every time he raised his voice at her. The thought of yelling at the one person who felt the same prickly, perfect, persevering love he felt was something a calmer Ash couldn't stomach. Part of him wanted to apologize, just for the sake of apologizing.

The other part of him wouldn't, and Ash had a hard time understanding _why _there was a part of him that wanted to be angry with her.

_Anger just does thesethings to people, I guess._

Misty leveled her eyes, studying the hidden hurt in his angry ambers. Ash wasn't usually like this. He hardly ever talked to her with such an angry, swear-ridden tone. That was usually Misty's department. Ash was so fun-loving, so happy, so _patient. _Misty knew her _fiancé_ well enough to know that she must have drained him lately with all the wedding preparations. Beyond that, even, deep down, Misty knew her _best friend _well enough that to realize that she must have really struck a nerve with the talk of him embarrassing her. The young woman sighed inwardly, keeping the strong, angry face on for show, not wanting to appear weak in their heated conflict, before letting a short breath escape her lips. She counted on her brain to find the correct words to say as she opened her mouth in a way that felt involuntary.

_Funny, _she thought before speaking. _Usually Ash is the rational one in these times._

"Look, Ash," Misty began rigidly. "I think we both-"

Misty's suggestion was cut short by the unmistakable sound of a Pokéball opening from her belt.

"Psyduck!" the yellow duck cheered, throwing his arms above his head. Misty stared on, dumbfounded at the duck, as his ball returned itself to her waiting, confused grip.

Ash, whose anger had mostly dispersed, had seen the redhead's face begin to calm before the interruption of her longtime Pokémon pal. Now her face had regained its angry flush.

Well, maybe "pal" wasn't the right word.

"PSYDUCK!" Misty's cheeks turned the color of his hat. Ash swore her eyeteeth looked like fangs. "What are you even doing here!? I thought I left you at the Gym!"

"Psy duck?" The duck Pokémon reached his arms to the sides of his dome, his dopey, unblinking eyes turning on his master.

"I must have accidentally grabbed you instead of Starmie," Misty moaned miserably. "Just get back in your ball," she muttered bitterly, turning the red and white sphere in her hands and pressing the center button. Psyduck disappeared just as quickly as he had arrived.

"Well...I haven't seen that happen in a while," Ash commented awkwardly.

"Yeah, uh, I don't carry him with me too often for that reason," Misty gritted. Psyduck chose the worst times to interrupt. She felt the tension that had been present prior to Psyduck's intervention turn into a thick awkwardness.

_This is almost as bad that time Psyduck came out while Ash and I were having sex, _Misty mentally rolled her eyes. There was no need to think about that particular escapade.

"So, Misty, I'm, uh, sorry for yelling at you like that," Ash muttered, avoiding her gaze. She could tell he was forcing the apology out of his mouth, as if struggling with himself.

"No, Ash, you don't have to be sorry this time. It was my fault for being so insensitive. I know you'd never embarrass me on purpose. I'm just so nervous about all this wedding stuff and I want everything to be perfect for everyone." Misty's shoulders slumped.

"Misty, the only way the wedding will be perfect for everyone is if it's perfect for us."

Misty raised her eyes from the suddenly _intriguing_ tiling on the floorto fix a bewildered gaze upon her fiancé.

"Where do you keep this occasional wisdom locked away?"

"In the one place I know where to look: my brain," Ash chuckled, the final unpleasant feelings leaving his system as he walked over to Misty to wrap her in a tight hug. His heart raced when he felt her squeeze him tighter.

_I guess love does things to people too._

"I hate fighting with you like that," Misty murmured into his chest.

"Let's never do it again."

"Fat chance, Mr. Pokémon Master."

Ash laughed over her head. Misty welcomed the jubilant feeling of his shaking torso. He quieted for a moment before pulling away and regarding her with a suddenly urgent look.

"Do you really think I'm ugly?

* * *

**No, Ash, you're not ugly. XD I feel like I have Ash and Misty bicker a lot (because they do), but I figure that they occasionally get a little nasty with each other, and even more occasionally, get into full blown shouting matches. They totally do. One day, I'll write a really angsty fight between Ash and Misty. And eventually, they'll make up very bittersweetly. It will be beautiful. You'll love it.**

**Uh, yeah, I won't whet your appetites with all of the countless stories I want to write but never do. XD also, I can't forget to mention that the Psyduck appearance was inspired by the lovely nyislandersgirl. I just couldn't resist. ;) besides, he sort of diffused the situation! XD Review, please! **


	18. Eighteen: Risqué

**This one is kind of sweet. My muse, nyislandersgirl, shot this great idea off! Ash might be a bit OOC, but it's for the good of the chapter. :P**

* * *

_**Risqué**_

_Dear Mrs. Misty Ketchum,_

_It would my greatest honor if you would consider posing for the cover and centerfold of our upcoming December issue. Please consider the offer and have a wonderful day._

_Sincerely,_

_Hugh Hefner, Playboy Enterprises, Inc._

Misty dropped the pristine white letter behind her desk, her jaw dropping with it.

_Playboy _wanted _her _to pose?

_Playboy_ wanted Misty Ketchum to pose.

Hugh Hefner had personally written her a letter.

_Oh please, the letter is typed with no signature. His secretary probably wrote it, _Misty rationalized.

Misty's day had been relatively normal up to this point. She went into the Cerulean Gym at seven in the morning, ready for a swim and her usual morning workout. She finished her exercising by eight and figured she'd catch up on paperwork before the usual influx of challengers arrived. Daisy, Violet, and Lily, who often acted as Misty's "secretaries", had been chatting in the lobby. She greeted them, Daisy handed Misty her mail, Violet pretended to do some of the gym's paperwork, and Lily was apparently off feeding the Pokémon.

It still surprised Misty that women four to six years older than her had no desire to leave the family workplace and get _real jobs. _Misty supposed that her older sisters were much happier modeling and doing their water shows.

_Stupid sisters...modeling...making livings off their bodies...never doing _real _work..._

It was a completely normal morning. Exercise, Pokémon, and mental bashing on her sisters. She certainly hadn't expected such a slap in the face when lazily going through the gym's junk mail. Sure, she had posed for a few photographers before, but those were usually only battle posters, and there was also the occasional _Monthly Tides _shoot, which interviewed all the top water type trainers.

But Misty had never posed _naked _before.

She was _married_.

She had never _dreamed _of doing something so _sexy _outside the bedroom.

Well, except for when she and Ash did it in the car. Or in the pool at the gym. Or in the stands of the battle stadium. Oh, and she couldn't forget the time-

_Focus, Misty!_

The young gym leader pinched the bridge of her nose.

She was dumfounded.

"I think I'm going to throw up."

She was _terrified._

(line)

That evening, when Ash got home from work, he removed his jacket, took off his shoes, and greeted a cooking Misty with his usual charm.

"Hey, beautiful!" Ash struggled to get his left shoe off and consequently fell on the floor.

"Smooth," Misty snorted.

"Hmph."

Misty ignored his grunt and continued to stir the macaroni.

"Ooh, macaroni and cheese!" Ash cheered. Having righted himself, he strutted into the kitchen and embraced Misty from behind, dropping a gentle kiss on the side of her neck. She didn't react.

"Yeah, I didn't feel like making real food tonight. Sorry." Ash wasn't sure if she was sad or angry.

Taken aback, he removed his hands from her stomach and pulled away, instead sidestepping her and standing leaning against the oven. He tried to get a better look at her face, but her messy red locks shadowed over her cheeks.

"Why are you sorry? I love mac n' cheese."

"Because I'm not making you a real meal and I don't want you to be upset!" Misty whined, still unnecessarily stirring the the boiling noodles.

"Upset about what? Mist, it's not a big deal!"

"I just don't want you to be mad at me!" Misty dropped the wooden spoon she had been using to manipulate the noodles into the pot, sending small droplets of water sizzling onto the stove top. She wrapped her left arm around her sweater-clad chest and brought her right hand up to her face, covering her eyes and willing herself not to cry.

"Misty... are we still talking about macaroni and cheese?"

"No."

"Okay," Ash said, cautiously reaching out to take her hand away from her face. He lowered it slowly, keeping a tight grip.

_I feel like I'm talking to a five-year-old, _he groaned silently.

"Can you tell me what we _are _talking about?"

Misty finally looked up at him and took a deep breath. Her blue-green eyes were large and nervous. Ash was relieved to see she wasn't crying. He had always had trouble dealing with that.

"I got a letter at the Gym today..."

"And?" Ash prodded, squeezing her hand.

"And it was from _Playboy_." The Pokémon Master visibly blanched.

"P-_Playboy_?"

"Yes, and they want me to pose for them. Naked," Misty finished shakily.

"Wow," Ash breathed.

"Are you mad?" Misty bit her lip.

"Mad? Of course not. I don't really want other guys staring at your naked body, but..." Ash trailed off. Misty looked at him hopefully, waiting for him to continue.

"You know I wouldn't be mad at you for doing something you want to do. Even if it does involve people seeing your...you know, _special parts_."

Misty rolled her eyes and turned back to the noodles, releasing his hand in the process.

_Will he ever grow up?_

However, she knew he wouldn't be mad. He was right on that one. The only reason Misty had hoped Ash would be mad was so that she could play off her insecurity.

She continued to bite her lip and shuffled her feet nervously, picking up the wooden spoon and stirring once more.

"Hey, wait a minute... you _knew _I'd never get mad at you for making your own decisions," Ash reasoned a few seconds later, narrowing his eyes. He folded his thick arms across his chest. "What is this _really _about?"

_Damn, I knew I'd give it away..._

Misty ignored him at first, testing one of the macaroni noodles.

"Hm, still not done." She turned the stove to a higher setting.

"Misty?"  
"Hm?"

"You were saying...?"

"Oh, right."

_Obviously playing dumb isn't going to work either... _Misty outwardly sighed and faced her waiting husband. _I guess I'd better just tell him_.

"It's just... You're the only one who's seen me naked like that before," Misty mumbled.

"Good!" Ash blurted. Misty's nervous eyes began to flare into an icy glare. Ash quickly realized his mistake. "Sorry," he sighed. "I'm just trying to adjust to the thought of you being in a wildly popular magazine with no clothes on."

"How do _you _know how popular it is?" Misty narrowed _her_ eyes and folded _her_ arms.

"Uh, Brock?"

"That actually makes sense..."

"Anyway," Ash's voice rang abruptly. "This isn't about me. So you're nervous? Big deal, you've done way more challenging things than standing naked in front of a camera!" Ash threw his arms up, gesticulating wildly. "You can do this easily!"

"Ash, it's not about how hard or easy it is! It's about how I'm _terrified _because _you're _the only one who thinks I'm beautiful or sexy or _whatever_ like that!"

Ash nearly fell over.

"Wh-wha? Y-you think-?" he sputtered, his eyes wide with shock. "Psh, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

"Yeah, laugh it up," Misty grumbled, as she poured the pot of macaroni into the colander placed in the nearby sink. While Ash was busy with his idiotic sputtering, she figured she might as well focus on dinner. She went through the motions of stirring milk, butter, and cheese back into the pot of noodles, mixing it all in.

Ash eventually realized that he was pointing a finger in the air, spitting out nonsense while his wife agitatedly ignored him.

"Come _on_, Misty! You have got to be kidding me. Every man in this _city _wants a piece of you. Every man in the _other _cities want a piece of you! And not just because you're the Pokémon Master's wife! Oh no, it's because you're _hot!_"

Misty stopped pretending not to hear him. Sure, she figured she was pretty. Beautiful, maybe. At least, that's what everyone told her. But hot? Sexy? That was ridiculous.

"You think I'm..._hot?_"

"Of course!" Ash was practically yelling by this point. "You walk around in a bathing suit at work and sometimes when I visit during the day, you take _that _off too! Just look at yourself! It's nearly winter and you look hot!" Ash gestured to her attire. "You're wearing this tight little sweater and if I got close enough, I could totally see down your shirt! And then you have those skinny jeans that let me see the exact curve of your butt, and then there's those boots!"

Misty looked down. It wasn't that exciting to her. She was wearing a striped black and white sweater that hugged her body tightly with a bit of a plunging neckline, giving off a small amount of cleavage. She wore the tightest denim jeans she had, which she wore mostly for herself rather than to show herself off. They wrapped tightly around her legs and let her feel comfortable. She admitted that the black, high-heeled boots might have been a little more than cute.

"Ash, it's not that big of a deal. This is _so _not a sexy outfit."

"That's the thing, Misty. When you don't think you're being sexy, _you are_." Misty's face went blank.

"Really?"

Ash beamed at her.

"Really."

"So... you think I'm sexy enough to pull off the _Playboy _thing? Naked?"

"Misty, don't even get me started on what you look like naked."

Misty's predominant frown quickly switched to a bright grin.

"Well maybe, if you eat all of this positively _gourmet _mac n' cheese," she teased, spooning the food into the two waiting bowls. "You won't have to call on your memory to describe it."

She winked playfully and retrieved two silver forks, watching as Ash's eyes lit up.

_I'm sexy enough for Ash... Maybe I'm sexy enough for this, too._

* * *

**Aw, Ash is such a good husband. Even when it comes to his woman being seen publicly naked in dirty magazines. XD I didn't want to make up some fake magazine, so I just used Playboy, which I don't own, obviously. **

**Thanks for reading! We're approaching the end! :)**


	19. Nineteen: Sisterly

***thinks she will update early today and maybe more than once***

***lolnope.***

**Okaaayyy, here's the new chapter.**

* * *

_**Sisterly**_

Ash Ketchum nervously knocked rang the bell in the lobby of the Cerulean Gym. He set the the four bouquets of flowers previously in his arms down on the front counter and nervously adjusted his hat. He sincerely hoped Misty would be the one to bustle to the bell rather than Daisy, Violet, or Lily. Pikachu jumped from his usual spot on Ash's shoulder to smell the flowers.

"You sure like flowers, huh?" Ash chuckled.

"Pika!" Pikachu happily exclaimed, continuing to sniff at the assortment of flowers Ash had picked out.

Well, _Ash _didn't pick them out. The store clerk did, having taken pity on the clueless seventeen-year-old. Once Ash had stumbled into the boutique with his starter for company, the saleswoman watched him stare blankly at the different flowers. He'd immediately explained that he was having dinner with his girlfriend and her three sisters and he wanted to continue to make a good impression after years of knowing the family and months of dating their sister.

Besides, Waterflower women had an uncanny ability to make him uncomfortable.

Ash wasn't sure what kinds of flowers he had purchased, but clerk handed him lavender ones, pink ones, and white ones. And then there were red roses for Misty.

He wasn't stupid.

_No, not stupid, _Ash thought to himself, watching Pikachu smile at the flowers. _Just terrified._

Misty's phone call asking him to have dinner with her and her sisters had left Ash completely dumbfounded and more nervous than when he had actually asked her out.

_"__Nothing formal," Misty trilled over the phone. "Just a casual dinner this Saturday night here at the Gym."_

_Ash gulped into the receiver._

_"__Believe me, I don't want to do this anymore than you do, but they're insisting," Misty continued. "God, they're so weird."_

_"__Well," Ash chuckled shakily. "I know how Waterflowers get when they really want something."_

_Hearing his girlfriend's laughter added a small amount of confidence back into Ash's system._

_"__Well I can't say you're wrong on that one. But I have to go! Daisy said there's a challenger waiting. Great. Probably some ten-year-old with a Caterpie. Ugh."_

_"__Probably. At least I had a _good _starter," Ash laughed. "Alright, Mist, I'll talk to you later."_

_"__Oh, and don't be nervous about dinner. They'll just question you about your intentions or something. Don't be surprised if they claw at you, bite you, and tear your hair out. Normal family stuff. Bye, Ash!"_

_Ash held the phone limply at his side._

Ash snapped back into reality upon seeing four figures rush into the lobby one after another.

"Ash!"

"Hi, Ash!"

"Pikachu! Oh, he's even cuter than the last time we saw him!"

"Lily, that was like just last week."

The four girls came to a stop in the lobby, all giving off identical pearly, dazzling smiles. The single redhead stole his lips in a swift kiss while Daisy, Violet, and Lily stared on.

"AWW!" the three chorused.

"They're so adorable together!"

"They're even cuter than the last time we saw them!"

"Lily, that was _also _last week."

Ash watched Misty's eye twitch as she turned away from him to pat Pikachu's head affectionately. At the same time, all four girls directed their attention to the electric mouse, as well as the flowers.

"Ooh, flowers!" Daisy trilled, piquing the interest of the other three, who all gushed over the flowers.

"Ash, are these for us?" Misty queried, her look of surprise quickly changing into a smile.

"Oh!" Ash blushed and seemed to remember that _he _was the one who brought the flowers. "Yeah! Here, this ones are for you, Daisy!" Ash picked up the purple bouquet and handed it off to the tall blonde.

"Oh, hydrangeas!"

"And, uh, these are yours, Violet." Ash gave the pink bouquet to Violet, who was standing between Daisy and Lily, gleefully squealing along with the other two girls. Misty stood off to the side, watching her beet red boyfriend awkwardly hand flowers to her giddy sisters. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Tulips! That's totally sweet of you, Ash!" Ash fumbled with the bill of his hat.

"Heh, yeah, um, here Lily!" Lily took the white bundle from the gloved hand that awkwardly held them out.

"Wow, gardenias! They're so pretty!" Lily gushed. Ash turned to the final bouquet on the counter and literally snatched it from under the sniffing Pikachu's nose. The ensuing whine caused Ash to roll his eyes and all four of the girls to giggle.

"If you wanted flowers, you should have said something!"

"Chu!"

Ash ignored his partner's snap and handed the roses to his waiting girlfriend.

"Here, Misty. These roses are for you." Misty took the flowers from him and giggled.

"It's about time. I was worried these were actually for Pikachu."

Ash chuckled and leaned down to press his lips against hers before he felt three foreign kisses invade his cheeks, effectively ruining the moment. Misty's eye twitched again.

"Thank you so much, Ash!" the three Sensational Sisters exclaimed collectively. Misty rolled her eyes at the older girls but thanked Ash anyway.

"No problem, guys!" Ash put a hand on the back of his neck.

All four girls walked out of the lobby and led him into the adjoining living quarters of the Cerulean Gym. Violet grabbed four large vases from under the sink in the kitchen and snatched all the bouquets from their owners, promptly sticking them in the water-filled glasses.

"Uh, why do you just have vases?" Ash asked confusedly, taking a seat on the sofa with Misty by his side.

"Well, since we're like, models and stuff, people are just always giving us flowers!" Lily giggled.

"Yeah, so we just keep these vases around in case anyone thinks we're extra beautiful at any given time!" Violet added. Daisy nodded in agreement while Misty snorted.

"I think they just think you're extra _available _at any time."

"Oh, Misty, you know that's not true! Besides, I have Tracey and Violet and Lils have... uh, who do you have?"

Lily and Violet immediately went red behind the visible kitchen counter.

"No one!" Lily exclaimed faux confidently.

"Yeah, we're single and strong!" Violet added.

"Whatever," Misty laughed, leaning back into the sofa and grabbing Ash's hand.

Ash only sat there, marveling at the conversation. He tuned out around the same time Daisy rounded the corner from the living room to the adjacent, open kitchen to check on dinner.

_Is this what girls talk about all the time? I wish Daisy would have invited Tracey..._

Ash sank back in his seat, hoping Misty wouldn't notice his discomfort.

She'd only make fun of him for not being a girl.

"Dinner's ready!" Daisy sang from in front of the oven. Ash's spirits rose immediately. He got up, forgetting that he had a hold of Misty's hand and consequently yanking her up with him.

"Ash!"

"What?"  
"Thanks for yanking my arm out of its socket," Misty sarcastically replied, letting go of his hand and rubbing her shoulder.

"Sorry," Ash said bashfully. "I'm hungry."

"Of course you are," Misty muttered. She led him into the dining room, trusting her sisters to take care of bringing the food.

Daisy returned carrying three plates, terribly unbalanced, as if she was nearly going to fall over.

"Gee, Daisy," Misty sneered from her spot next to Ash at the table. "What happened to all that talk of being _graceful supermodels who have no trouble doing anything ever_?"

"Can it!" Daisy snapped, setting filled plates down first in front of Ash and Misty, and the third one at place mat on the other side of the table. Violet and Lily came in with their plates shortly after and sat down on either side of their eldest sibling.

Completely oblivious to the slight animosity in the room, the other two girls chatted away happily. Soon, the conversation grew and Misty and Daisy also took part, forgetting their previous annoyance at each other.

Ash scarfed down his his chicken pasta, rather surprised at the quality of it. He had never expected Daisy to be able to cook.

"You know, Misty, I've been meaning to tell you how much I love that sweater you're wearing! Where'd you get it?" Violet asked, not bothering to finish chewing her food. Ash inwardly wondered if they only _talked _about being ladylike.

"Oh, this?" Misty gestured to the long, light green sweater she wore, which hugged her form all the way down to nearly her mid-thigh.

"And the black leggings you have on under it!" Lily added.

"I got these from you, Lils. And the sweater. You gave them to me, remember?"

Lily chose to take a drink of water at that precise moment. Unfortunately, Ash, who was sitting directly across from her, failed to notice the warning signs.

Not a second later, the water that had previously been inside Lily's mouth ended up flying straight into Ash's face. Pikachu, who had been sitting on his trainer's shoulder after having finished his Pokémon food, quickly jumped out of the way, landing lightly on the floor while his trainer's face became soaked from Lily's spit take.

Ash cursed himself for not seeing it coming.

Misty, Lily, Violet, Daisy, and Pikachu all watched in silent horror as Ash's face remained expressionless. After a long, long moment, Ash finally spoke.

"Well, that was... wet," Ash laughed, trying to shake off his annoyance. At the sound of his voice and the sight of him sitting there doing absolutely nothing as water dripped from his hair and face, all four women started speaking at once.

"Oh my God, Ash, I am, like, SO sorry!"

"I can't believe you just spit water all over my boyfriend!"

"Misty, Lily didn't mean to!"

"Violet's right, Misty, it was just an accident!"

Misty stood up and hovered protectively over Ash, while he and Pikachu looked on, waiting for the scene to unfold. Ash hoped maybe someone would get him a towel.

"Accident or not, she needs to apologize!"

"But, Misty, I already did!" Lily stood up too, flicking her pink hair out of her face.

"Well do it again!"

"I don't need to listen to you, _runt_!"

"Take that back," Misty growled.

"Misty-"

"Shut up, Ash."

"How a perfectly nice boy like Ash wound up with a _runt _like you, I don't know!" Lily snarked, leaning over the table at her sister.

"Take that back," Misty repeated, dangerously emphasizing each word. Daisy and Violet had risen from their seats as well, by this point, hoping they could stop the ensuing brawl.

"Give my sweater back, runt!" Lily snapped.

Daisy and Violet shared a defeated look and resumed their sitting positions.

"This is my sweater, _whore_!"

"Oh, you are _so _dead!"

"You're so weak, Lily, you're not going to do anything!"

"Oh yeah!?"

"Yeah!"

"Well you—you're—," Lily sputtered dumbly, having lost the insult on her tongue. "You're just a big ugly bitch!" Lily pointed at Misty over the table. They were each leaned over so far that their foreheads were practically touching. Ash couldn't see Misty's face, but Lily's was quite visible, and her eyes were dark with a rage that looked disconcertingly familiar to Ash.

"That's it!"

Before Ash knew it, Misty had hopped over the table and tackled Lily. The older girl screamed, Misty roared, and Ash heard the unmistakable sounds of struggle. He immediately jumped out of his seat and ran over to the two brawling young women.

"Ow, don't dig your claws into me!" Lily yelled.

"I'm going to bite you if don't say you're sorry!"

"Misty, stop!" Ash yelled, too stunned to physically break them apart. Instead, he just stared on, panicked, while the two girls in front of him fought it out. "You're acting like little kids!" Again, he went unanswered by the fighting sisters. He looked up, wide-eyed, at Daisy and Violet, who sat quietly at the table, ignoring the scene before them as if it were a simple Spearow flying through the air.

"Aren't you guys going to do something?" Ash asked, wildly confused at why Misty's and Lily's own sisters wouldn't attempt to stop their fighting, let alone bat their long, curled eyelashes.

"No," Violet said simply, sipping her wine.

"They'll fight it out and get over it. Besides," Daisy narrowed her eyes at Ash over her fork. "We all know there's no stopping Misty."

Ash couldn't disagree with this.

"Well," he said hesitantly. "I guess... I guess you're right."

"So come sit down and chat with us!" Violet said excitedly.

"Um, okay then," Ash agreed, taking one last glance at Misty and Lily.

"Don't you DARE pull my hair!"

"Maybe you should just shave that dreadful pink mane off!"

Ash tried to ignore them as he awkwardly sat back down.

"So," Daisy began. She used a narrowed facial expression which also seemed _undeniably familiar_. "What are your intentions with our sister?"

* * *

**I will never tire of loving the Sensational Sisters. :) Ash will have to learn to deal with their family dynamic at some point. One day, he won't be so panicky and nervous. Someday. He'll stop being so shocked when they act like little kids.**


	20. Twenty: Ten

**This one's a bit short and no real action happens. But I think I like it. :P**

* * *

_**Ten**_

At the age of ten, Misty never would have thought things would change the way they did. Sure, she could finally escape the teasing, the taunting, and the tears that came from her sisters.

Misty Waterflower would finally free to do whatever she wanted. She could go on her own Pokémon journey! She could fish, she could swim, and she could camp without being called a "boy" by those three bimbos. She could play with her Pokémon. She could stay up late by the fire. She could even become the world's greatest Pokémon Master!

Misty soon realized, however, that not-so-unfortunately, that dream was meant for someone else.

She met Ash Ketchum in the last way she'd expected to meet her future husband. At the time, just the _thought _of marrying a boy like _him _was worthy of a very theatrical, "Blegh!"

Despite his weird, annoying, dirty _boyness, _Misty realized early on that Ash might not be so bad. He had a special love for Pokémon that was certainly different from anyone else's, including hers. He was unpracticed and raw, but his battling wasn't _so_ bad, even at the tender age of ten. He cherished his Pokémon more than anything she'd ever seen. Sure, he loved lots of stuff. His mom, his food, and his mom's food were probably the biggest things to him, but Misty quickly learned that none of that stuff was the same as his love for Pokémon. Ash even had this cute little smile that she saw only when he was playing with Pikachu and the others.

Maybe he _would _be turn out to be a pretty good trainer.

And _maybe _she thought he was cute. Or maybe just his smile.

Not _him_, of course. Heavens no.

Cute or not, Misty had never entertained the thought of Ash actually winning the gym battles that he went on and on about. As she so kindly and _constantly_ reminded him very early on, his first badges were practically _given _to him for no reason. Misty hadn't expected Ash to pull through the way he did. Six badges later, he was competing in the Indigo League. While Misty would rather die than tell him, the top sixteen wasn't _too _bad for a rookie.

And maybe Misty thought the way he was so exuberantly _happy_ after each won battle was cute.

But maybe she didn't. Maybe she was jealous because Ash was the one competing. Maybe she was happy when he _lost _because that meant he wasn't any closer to becoming a Master than she was.

Of course, the ten-year-old was kidding herself. If she _really _wanted to be that Water Pokémon Master she'd always dreamed of becoming, she'd have eight badges and be fighting for it right against Ash rather than right beside him.

It wasn't long after the Indigo League when Misty realized that it was _Ash _who was destined to become a Pokémon Master.

And when Misty did realize it, she _wasn't even jealous_. She'd never tellher best friend _that_, though. At the age of ten, there were a lot of things Misty would never tell her best friend.

She just wasn't really sure what they really were.

* * *

At the age of thirteen, Misty never would have thought it would so hard to say goodbye.

She also never would have thought it felt so good, yet so _heartbreaking _to see her best friend cry over _her. _Misty had cried about him maybe _just _once or twice. But only that many times, of course. It's not like she had a silly crush on him or anything.

No, it wasn't silly it all.

Ash had cried in front of her before because, well, he's sort of a crybaby. Misty had always felt bad for him, but at the same time had to refrain from laughing about it behind his back.

This time, it was different. Ash was sad because of her.

And that made Misty feel funny.

_But it's a _good _funny, _she decided, as she peddled away from Ash.

The trail to Cerulean grew dim.

* * *

At the age of twenty, Misty never would have thought she'd be as happy as she was.

She'd always had her happiest moments traveling the world, around water, or around Ash.

When those three things were combined, Misty was sure her heart would burst.

Ash had become the Kanto Champion about a year or so ago and immediately claimed he needed special training before taking the next step up the Pokémon Master ladder. This training involved traveling to new places, just like it always did, and this time, Misty came with him. The training itself wasn't so special. It was really just the battling practice, catching new Pokémon, and exploring new places.

So when Misty asked Ash just what _was _so special about the training one bright afternoon on the lakeside in an unfamiliar forest that she couldn't remember the name of, she shouldn't have been so surprised to hear his very straightforward answer.

"It's special because you're here."

Misty wanted to hurl at the cheesiness, but her femininity wouldn't let her.

In fact, she smiled.

And when Ash smiled back, the glint of the sun shining off the unnamed lake shone into his amber eyes.

* * *

**I don't really imagine Ash and Misty traveling much at the age of twenty, but it just worked here. :P Review, please! :)**


	21. Twenty-One: Undressed

**I chose to ignore such annoying chores like laundry and also sleep to write this. Especially because I have family visiting and before school preparations (which includes dull student gov't meetings -_-) to take care of, so I don't know how much writing time I'll have this week! And this is my last week of summer! :/ Sigh. Anyway, I'm done complaining!  
**

**This one's a bit longer than the last, but still sorta short. And in case it isn't obvious, Ash and Misty are not yet a couple here. I know, my timeline goes all over the place. I just change it for like everything I write. XD**

* * *

_**Undressed**_

Ash flopped face first onto the sofa in his mother's living room, taking up more than the entire thing.

"Ashton, how many times do I have to tell you that taking up the entire sofa is rude!"

"Mooomm," Ash whined dramatically into the green throw pillow. "There's no one here! It's not like Pikachu needs all this room! _And _have a recliner! Oh, and would you stop calling me that?" He felt more than heard his mother approach him from the doorway of the kitchen and inwardly wondered how she always wandered in when he was doing something wrong.

Delia fixed a hard stare onto her son. Taking up the typical mom-pose, she raised an eyebrow and threw her hands on her hips.

"I'll call you George if I want to!"

Ash grunted in response.

"And I don't care if there isn't anyone here! Just because we're not entertaining guests doesn't mean you can forget the manners I have worked so hard to teach you for the last seventeen years," Delia reprimanded in a firm manner. Ash grudgingly lifted his legs off the end of the couch and swung his torso up so he was in a sitting position. Delia tsked upon seeing her son's tattered frontal appearance.

"Ash, you're absolutely filthy! Why would you wear dirty clothes today?" Delia sighed. Sometimes she felt like she was fighting a losing battle with this kid. Honestly, hadn't she taught him to get clothes out of the _drawer _and not the laundry hamper?

_Obviously not, _the young mother conceded, taking in her son's previously pristine white T-shirt that was now covered in brown and green stains.

"Mom," Ash rolled his eyes. "My clothes _were _clean until you had me go to that stupid nursery to get you a hundred pounds of potting soil! The first bag ripped and got all over my shirt by the time I was halfway home and then I tripped and rolled down a hill! And I _still _went back and got a new bag to carry all the way home!" The teenager rubbed his biceps gingerly.

_I might be sore in the morning... but it might be worth it if Misty thinks I'm all muscly and hot..._

"Ash," Delia exhaled tiredly and rubbed her forehead. "I'm starting to get tired of your attitude. Just go upstairs and take a shower, okay? You never know when someone is going to show up at your doorstep!"

Not wanting to argue with his mother any longer, Ash sighed his consent and trudged up the stairs. He waited until he was certainly out of earshot to mutter under his breath.

"Who in the name of Arceus is going to show up completely unannounced, ring that doorbell, and judge my appearance?" the boy wondered, grabbing a towel from the hall closet and stepping into the bathroom.

At the exact moment Ash had disappeared behind the closed door of the bathroom and turned on the hot water, the doorbell rang.

(line)

"Hi, Mrs. Ketchum!" Misty said brightly.

"Misty! What a wonderful surprise!" Delia hugged her surrogate daughter warmly and stepped aside to allow her entrance into the foyer. "What are you doing here, sweetheart?"

"Oh, I was just bored and wanting to get out of the Gym. I hope you don't mind," Misty answered rather sheepishly, removing her red Converse and at the doorway.

"Not at all, dear!" Delia smiled. "I'm just getting ready to make some lunch! Ash is in the shower, so would you mind helping me out for a bit?"

"Oh, not at all! I love cooking with you. I'm so bad at it everywhere else," Misty laughed, following Delia into her favorite kitchen.

The oldest Ketchum simply giggled in response, inwardly smirking.

_I knew Ash would need to clean up for some reason. He wouldn't want to be embarrassed in front of his little crush!_

Delia smirked as she adorned her favorite floral printed apron and retrieved the spare she kept in a drawer next to the oven for Misty.

_Mother's intuition never fails._

(line)

"Misty, honey, will you go tell Ash that lunch is almost done? Even _that_ boy should be done washing up by now!" Delia called to Misty, who was contentedly playing with Pikachu in the sitting room.

"Sure thing!" Misty returned her attention to Pikachu. "I'll be right back, little mister!" She poked his bright red cheek one more time before rising from her spot in the couch and jogging up the stairs.

"Pikachupi!" Pikachu giggled happily. Misty turned her head and winked over her shoulder.

_Even his _Pokémon _are cute and charming, _the girl thought dreamily. _God, I sound like some lovesick teenager._

Misty stopped at the top of the stairs and tilted her head.

_Well, I guess I _am _a lovesick teenager..._

She shook her head and took the familiar route to Ash's bedroom, but not before stopping off at the bathroom to check her appearance.

Misty straightened her tank top and hummed in approval.

_A little cleavage, but not _too _much. _

Luckily, she had been having a good hair day.

_Stop it, Misty. It's just Ash!_

The gym leader scoffed at herself. Yeah. _Just _Ash.

She finally arrived at his door and knocked twice before boldly entering, just like always.

"Surprise, Mr. Pokémon Master!" Misty trilled, poking her head into the room.

What she saw was the absolute last thing she had anticipated.

Ash was standing in the middle of his bedroom, stark naked, droplets of water falling from his raven locks, nothing but a pair of black boxers hanging limply at his side.

And even worse—or maybe better—, he was facing her completely.

"Misty," Ash squeaked. He seemed to realize that he was in all his naked glory after the two shared the most awkward eye contact Ash had ever experienced, and finally found it within himself to awkwardly cover his crotch with the cotton underwear in his grip.

But it was too late. Misty had seen _everything._

"I," she squeaked on an even higher decibel than Ash. "I, um, was just coming to tell you that lunch is ready." The redhead stared at the wooden floor panels and felt her cheeks turn the shade of the shoes that sat in Delia's foyer.

"Oh, um, I'll be down in a minute," Ash choked, finding a particularly interesting speck to stare at on the ceiling. "I, uh, have to get dressed..."

"Right!" Misty answered too quickly, chancing a glance up at his face.

_Nope, those are his abs, not his face. Nope nope nope. Damn._

"I'll just, uh—_leavenowbye._" Misty slammed the door shut and leaned up against it from the outside, still ferociously blushing. She took a deep breath before walking down the stairs, preparing to face the ensuing awkwardness that Mrs. Ketchum—how Misty loved the woman!—would no doubt pick up on and turn into an awkward but strangely relevant life lesson.

_Surprise indeed, Waterflower. Surprise indeed._

* * *

**I really wanted to continue this and write more awkwardness, but I wasn't really feeling it anymore, so I'll just leave it to your imagination. :)**


	22. Twenty-Two: Vixen

**I don't this one sucked too badly. Even though it took like forever to get done. But here I am posting at night, like usual, and it's only 11:30! New record. XD**

* * *

_**Vixen**_

As a man of less than many words, Ash Ketchum was proud to say that he knew the two most common definitions of a vixen.

The first was an ill-tempered woman, while the second was a sexually attractive woman.

The Pokémon Master knew these definitions not from looking in a dictionary, but by looking at his own wife. Misty Ketchum was the most shrewish, loudmouthed, _sex goddess _in Cerulean City.

Well, she wasn't the same sex goddess to everyone else as she was to Ash, but it was all still true.

Not that Ash would ever tell her that.

Oh no, she already knew. And the feisty gym leader constantly used it to her advantage.

* * *

"Ash, I've been telling you for the last three months that I want the master bathroom painted!" Misty sighed across the breakfast table one sparkling Sunday morning over a slice of toast.

Ash didn't bother to look over his Pokédex before answering.

"Babe, I've been telling _you _for the last three months that I'm busy!"

"Busy? Busy doing _what_?" Misty guffawed, shoving her last bite of toast into her open mouth. "Making out with Dexter?"

Ash indignantly set the red device down on the table and folded his arms.

"Ha ha, you're so funny. What's the big deal with the bathroom anyway? I think it's a nice color."

"It's white, Ash."

"What's wrong with white?"

"It's boring!" Misty exclaimed, watching Ash stare blankly at her from his position at the other side of the table.

"Misty, if that's some sort of racist comment, I really don't think it's funny."

Misty slapped her forehead to prevent herself from slapping her husband. Tilting her head up towards the ceiling, she dramatically asked, "Oh, why does he still have to be so dumb?"

"Hey, I'm _not _dumb!" Ash cried even more indignantly than before. "I'm just... a little slower than you, that's all!"

Misty sighed and dropped her head into her waiting palms.

"I'm sorry, Ash, I'm just frustrated!"

Hearing his wife's apparent distress, Ash swallowed what was left of his pride and rose from his seat to approach her. He grabbed her slender shoulders and gently pulled her out of her seat and into a tight embrace, letting her forehead rest against his broad chest. Misty said nothing, as she occasionally did when she was more _upset _than angry.

She also did this when she was trying to get her way, which Ash still didn't always pick up on.

Ash just held her tighter, looking over her head with ideas of trying to make his wife less upset with him entertaining his thoughts. Of course, Ash rationalized, that was a ridiculous plan of action for the only way to make Misty happy was to do what she wanted. Running his hand through her soft, red bedhead waves, he found the courage to swallow the pride he thought he had already swallowed.

"This isn't because I'm a bad husband, right?"

"Mm, no," Misty murmured, shaking her head in a negatory fashion against his chest. "You're a wonderful, perfect, sexy husband. I just wish I had a prettier bathroom..." Ash instantly realized he had no pride left to swallow to begin with.

Just like every other married man in the world.

* * *

The following Saturday, Ash was dressed in his oldest shoes, his oldest pair of jeans, his oldest black T-shit, and one of his red League hats placed backwards over his messy spikes. He stood on top of a sea of newspapers in his and Misty's master bathroom. An open can of mint green paint was sitting atop the bathroom counter, which had also been covered for protection.

_I wish she would have just let me hire a painter... but no, it's too "impersonal."_

The walls themselves had the first coat of paint freshly applied. Ash had to admit that while the morning of painting had been unexpectedly difficult, he was pretty proud of his work so far, despite the fact that Misty had conveniently disappeared that morning to go "window shopping" (Ash had a slight suspicion that she actually wanted to replace the windows in their home), Charizard thought it would be funny if he popped out of his Pokéball to surprise his trainer with a flamethrower—an antic by which Ash was neither amused nor anticipatory—, and Pikachu was merrily pressing his paint-dipped paws against the newspapers, even though the Pokémon Master explained to him that his fur would be temporarily stained.

By the end of the day, Ash was just glad he'd gotten more of the paint on the walls than on himself.

Surveying his work, Ash placed his green-stained hands hands on his hips and looked around the room, making sure he hadn't missed any spots.

"Pika!"

The Master-turned-painter looked down to his left and saw his yellow companion sticking his small, greenish arms up in the air like a child asking to be picked up. Ash sighed and obliged, sifting through Pikachu's soft yellow fur, only to find the unholy amount of mint green paint he had failed to previously notice.

_This won't do... Misty will kill me if she sees that stupid green paint in Pikapawprints all over the carpet..._

"Looks like someone needs a bath!" Ash giggled in spite of his slight disdain.

"Pikachu!" He closed his eyes and waved his lightening bolt tale happily.

"Man, you're like Misty with the way you love water, huh?" Ash asked, carrying Pikachu toward the doorway. Pikachu simply nodded as Ash slipped his sneakers off on the newspaper and stepped into the carpeted master bedroom, making his way to the downstairs bathroom to give his starter a very necessary bath.

Half an hour later, once Ash had done his best to wash the minty stains out of Pikachu's yellow body, he stepped into the shower to wash the minty paint off _his _body. Over the water, as well as his scrubbing and humming, Ash failed to notice Misty's return home.

Pikachu, on the other hand, found her immediately.

"Pikachupi!"

The gym leader was in the middle of removing her strappy spiked stilettos when the yellow Pokémon greeted her in the foyer. The first thing she noticed when she stood up to her full, unadulterated height were copious spots of faded green present all over Pikachu's body. Smirking to herself, Misty placed her black leather jacket on the coat rack and directed her attention to Pikachu.

"You're all green! I take it you helped Ash paint the bathroom?"

Taking Pikachu's happy nod and the green stains as proof enough, Misty wandered toward the sound of running water and found her young husband in the shower of their ground-level bathroom, Pikachu prancing along beside her.

"Okay, Pikapal," Misty trilled. "I gotta go talk to Ash while he's in the shower. You don't mind, do you buddy?"

Pikachu exhaled and knowingly walked away.

_Humans and their mating rituals._

Misty, on the other hand, had already disappeared behind the bathroom door.

"Honey, I'm home!" she said unnecessarily, smirking once again. Ash poked his soaking head out around the curtain and grinned.

"Hiya, Misty! Didjya' see the bathroom?"

"No," Misty purred over the sound of the shower, pulling her royal blue top over head to reveal an deceivingly innocent white bra. Ash raised an eyebrow. "But I did see the green Pikachu and I figure if you got nearly as much paint on the wall as you did on him, you did just fine!"

"Um, thanks?" Ash watched her slip out of her tight white jeans with interest, forgetting about the paint still chipping off his wet face.

Soon enough, Misty's naked body was pressed against his as she enticingly kissed his neck under the scalding water.

_I _always _get my way, _Misty thought devilishly, letting her tongue graze across her lover's throat. _And I even get to have fun afterward!_

* * *

**Ha. Misty wins.**


	23. Twenty-Three: Walk In

**I'm back with W! It's 1 AM on August 25th, which means I am officially on my last day of summer. D: I really, really wanted to finish this story before summer was out, but it looks like that won't happen. So I'd like to sincerely apologize in advance if my updates aren't as close together anymore! Hopefully I'll just get them done in the midst of school craziness soon, but we'll have to see. And of course, I have X, Y, and Z left, which are the hardest ones. XD**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one. It's a little short, but it is a little bit hot. ;) and a bit funny, if I say so myself!**

* * *

_**Walk In**_

"I'm so glad I could get away from the Gym," Misty breathed sultrily, reveling in the tense heat between her and her boyfriend. She wrapped her arms around his head as he bit her earlobe.

Ash mumbled incoherently against her collar bone.

Misty stifled a moan as Ash's lips moved and massaged her neck. She felt his hands creep under her top and straddled him tighter, letting them take their course to her chest.

She hadn't really _meant _to start making out with Ash, but Misty had no problem admitting that she was the one who initiated.

Originally, the young couple had been watching television from the sofa in the living room of Ash's childhood home in Pallet Town. They sat side by side, innocently holding hands, paying attention to the mindless box in contented silence. As the program continued, Misty inched closer and closer to Ash. By the time Ash's mom had gone out to work in the backyard, she had decided that TV was the least interesting thing that could be occupying her time. Her left hand ran up and down Ash's thigh, filed nails gently scraping the denim of his jeans. With each stroke, she ventured closer and closer to the crease between his legs and midsection.

Ash realized very swiftly that what had started out as a bit of innocent, silent, _teasing _stroking was not so innocent. Her smoldering eyes were enough of a sign for him. With nothing more than a few swift glances around the room to see if his stalkerish mother was spying, Ash smirked and pulled Misty into his lap. He let her legs settle around his comfortably and felt her lips crashing into his, a familiarly foreign tongue suddenly grazing the roof of his mouth, and thus began a pleasant amount of making out.

Feeling Ash's hand cover her right breast over the lacy red bra she wore under her gray top, Misty inwardly wondered how dangerous it would be to let him take her top off.

_Too dangerous. Mrs. Ketchum is just outside._

"Ash," Misty whispered once their lips had briefly parted. "Don't take anything off. Your mom might walk in."

Ash nodded and kissed her again. The last thing he wanted was to be interrupted by silly rules. Instead of removing Misty's shirt he simply pushed it up and pushed her back slightly so his lips could reach her stomach. His tongue swirled around her belly button and this time, the moan that threatened to break Misty's barrier was too hard to stop.

"Ohh, _Ash_, lower."

"Mm, I can't Mist," Ash huffed, pulling her torso close to his again while her hands traveled from their place under his shirt down to his waist. "Mom might..."

Misty didn't let him finish.

She began to unzip the zipper of his pants.

"Misty, no, we can't. Not here at my mom's. Not on our first time!" Ash groaned. Her fingertips grazed the front of his boxers and he shifted uncomfortably under her.

_But it was such a _good _uncomfortable._

"Relax, Ashton," she breathed in his ear. "I just want to fool around. It's not like we've never done that much before. Besides, we both know how quick you are."

Ash pulled back and grabbed her arm, forcing it out of his pants and zipping the zipper. Every brain cell present in his thick skull told him to just whisk her up to his room, but he knew his mom would catch them, somehow. She'd just _know _they were up to something and—

_Misty's tongue is in my mouth again_, Ash realized, his previous thought process effectively cut off. _And her hands are on my thighs again. Damn. Should have let her give me a handj—_

"Could I get you two anything?" a sarcastic, sweet voice asked abruptly. "Iced tea? A cookie?"

Ash and Misty broke apart immediately, their eyes wide with panic.

"Mom!" Ash exclaimed, pushing Misty off his legs. She ungracefully fell onto the couch cushion to the left of Ash, immediately straightening herself and trying to tame her undoubtedly now-wild hair.

"A cold shower, perhaps?" Delia asked dryly, her eyes flicking between Misty's red hot blush, which was admittedly even worse than Ash's, and her son's jeans. He promptly crossed his legs.

Delia raised a slim, brown eyebrow at the pair and placed a hand on her hip, the other hand occupied by a small pot of dark soil. Her face was shadowed by a wicker sunhat, gentle facial features speckled with dirt.

If even possible, the pair went even redder. Misty sat next to Ash on the couch, her eyes staring in the completely opposite direction, bashfully applying the lip balm that had been residing in her pants pocket.

"No, we're fine, Mom, thanks," Ash squeaked. Delia smirked at her seventeen-year-old.

"Good. Now, I'm done in the yard and I'd like you to finish it off by mowing the lawn for me."

Ash finally found the courage to look at his mother in the eye. He had to do one of his simplest He wasn't being punished?

"Um, alright. No problem," Ash muttered confusedly. He rose from his seat and threw one last glance at Misty before exiting through the back door. Delia removed her hat and walked over to the coat rack adjacent to the sofa to hang it up. She noticed Misty still frozen to the couch.

"Something wrong, dear?" Delia chirped.

Misty cleared her throat.

"Um, no, Mrs. Ketchum. Not at all!" Misty said, falsely chipper. She bounced off the couch and plastered a smile on her face. Not wanting to be rude and also wanting a good distraction to cool her down, Misty asked, "Do you need any help with dinner or anything?"

Delia hung the hat up and turned to face Misty. She looked the teenager directly in the sea green eye, allowing a cryptic smile to play upon her lips before saying in her usual, happy tone:

"No, dear. Go ahead and take that cold shower!"

* * *

**This took a different direction than I had expected. Originally, Ash and Misty were supposed to be caught by Delia doing other probably M-rated things and not necessarily together at the same time, a hilarious idea which stemmed from one of many great discussions with the fabulous nyislandersgirl. Expect an outtake in the future. ;)**


	24. Twenty-Four: Xanax

**EDIT: This is the improved, fully-awake version of X. I don't know if any of you caught the one I posted last night, but I was mostly asleep when I wrote it, so suffice to say I accidentally said some weird shit. For some reason, I had Daisy reading a Quidditch magazine... Wrong fandom. XD  
**

**Anyway, I'm sorry this took so long to get out, and I'm also sorry it's not super long, but I hope you love it anyway!**

**Also, if you don't know what Xanax is, it's sort of an anxiety drug. Please enjoy! :)**

* * *

_**Xanax**_

"This is your first time flying, isn't it Misty?" Ash asked cheerfully from his place in Daisy Sketchit's backseat. Misty felt her palms grow clammy as the view of the airport grew closer.

"Sure is," Misty gulped. She felt her flipping over and over.

"You alright, sis?" Daisy asked, a concerned note present in her preppy voice.

"Just a little nervous, that's all."

Daisy glanced at Misty from the corner of her eye, not wanting to take her eyes off the road, but very unconvinced by her sister's feeble reply.

"Thanks for taking us to the airport, Daisy!" Ash said abruptly. "Too bad Tracey was working with the Professor. I wish I could have seen him! But I'm really excited for our trip to Unova. I've always wanted to go back and bring Misty with me," he babbled, unaware of his fianceé's state. "The stars there are so beautiful! And so are the cities! You'll love it, Mist!"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed jubilantly from his trainer's lap.

Not wanting to disappoint her lover, Misty turned around and forced a smile onto her pursed lips.

Not only did she not want to disappoint Ash, she also didn't want to feel _humiliated _in front of Ash. She was twenty-one years old and she still had never flown on an airplane. Everyone had told Misty that it was nothing to be afraid of, but Misty begged to differ. Tens of thousands of feet in the air with nothing separating you from falling to your death except for some airlocked piece of junk.

Of course, Ash and Misty wouldn't be flying on some piece of junk. Ash _was _the Pokémon Master, after all. They were flying first class on one of the top commercial planes to pay a friendly visit to Cilan and Iris, as well as to get _far_ away from the present pre-wedding stress. While Ash would have been just fine flying in coach, however he'd asked Misty if she'd like to fly first class and she girlishly jumped at the opportunity.

And then it really sunk in.

"-and I bet Cilan and Iris will be so happy to see us!" Ash rambled on. "Oh, pull up to that spot, Daisy, it's closer to the luggage check-in."

Daisy obeyed, silently wondering if Ash was _always _this talkative.

_He's usually a lot quieter. I think his motormouth is rivaling my entire family's..._

"Come on, Piakchu!" Ash opened the back door of Daisy's blue Mustang and hopped out, happily stretching his long legs. Pikachu mirrored his moves.

"That back seat isn't made for men like us, huh, buddy?"

"Chu!"

"But, Ash," Daisy questioned, simultaneously popping the trunk and pulling the key from the ignition while she stepped out of the driver's seat. "Isn't Pikachu only like a foot tall? Doesn't he have plenty of room?"

"Pikachu is one foot _four_," Ash corrected, pointer finger pointed upwards in a very matter-of-fact fashion.

He chose not to respond to Daisy's actual question.

After Daisy "helped" Ash unload the suitcases from the trunk by reapplying her lipstick and checking her reflection in the window, Ash looked around, figuring he was completely ready to go.

Except for one thing.

"Uh, Misty?" Ash looked around again, this time searching for vibrant red hair.

"In here!" a muffled voice called from in front of them.

Ash threw Daisy a bewildered glance which was returned and walked over to the passenger side of the the convertible in which Misty sat, still buckled.

"Are... are you coming?" Ash faltered confusedly, as his lover looked back at him as if he had just asked her something as simple as the day of the week. He scratched the back of his neck. "I mean, we do have a plane to catch and everything."

"Oh, right. I forgot," Misty said monotonously. Ash's eyebrows continued to rise up his forehead as she still made no attempt to move.

"Misty..."

"Yes?"

"You're still in the car..."

"Oh."

Misty swiftly unbuckled herself and got out of the car with an expressionless face. Ash, ever the worrier, placed his hands on Misty's shoulders and lightly squeezed, all while Daisy didn't even pretend to look away.

"Mist... I'm worried about you. Are you sure you can handle this flight? Are you sure you can do it? If you can't, just tell me and we'll drive straight to Hoenn to visit May and Drew instead!"

Daisy cringed.

Misty, however, who wore a previously unemotional face, suddenly fell back into her feisty old ways as she pushed Ash's hands off her.

"And just what gives you the right to be worried, Ketchum? I can handle _anything _that _anyone _throws at me! And furthermore, I _want _to see Iris! Not May!" Ash's eyes widened at the rant. "I love May, but I really can't deal with Drew's attitude right now. And I also can't handle _yours_, so just leave me be! I'm a grown woman. You'd think I'd be able to fly on a silly airplane without holding my _mommy's hands_," Misty sneered, adding air quotes to her mock. Ash rolled his eyes and turned toward Daisy, who intended on walking them up to the gate in the airport, but Misty pushed past him before he could even walk forward.

She even helped him carry the luggage. That's how Ash knew she was upset.

And Ash knew that this particular kind of 'upset' fell under the category of 'terrifying.'

* * *

Ash, Misty, Pikachu, and Daisy made it through airport security with no problem. Of course, Ash knew, it was going to be the actual _flying _part of the whole experience that his future wife would be unable to handle.

He sighed and rubbed his temples with his thumb and middle finger from his seat overlooking the outside of the airport. They were waiting to finally board, after two-and-a-half hours of doing nothing, simply because Daisy had insisted they go early so that she could still get her afternoon shopping finished. Of course.

Speaking of Daisy, a funny thought entered Ash's mind.

But not the kind of funny thoughts Brock got when thinking about her.

_What was that bottle she gave to Misty when she said goodbye at the gate...?_

Ash racked his brains to try to remember what their parting exchange had consisted of.

_Daisy embraced her redheaded sister, smiling as she rested her head on the shorter girl's shoulder. Ash pretended to look away and not listen simply to give them the illusion of privacy. _

_ As the blonde hair separated from the violently red, Ash noticed Daisy reach into her purse._

_ "Here, Misty, I think you need this more than I do," Daisy commented seriously, retrieving an orange bottle of ten or fifteen pills and handing them over to her little sister._

_ "Um, what is it?" Misty asked, dumbly inspecting the pill bottle, looking for the label._

_ "Xanax. It'll help you relax on this plane ride! And maybe even everywhere else!" Daisy added on, unthinking of the consequences. Misty's eyes flashed with anger before she examined the bottle herself._

_ "Really? Misty murmured. She turned the pill bottle over in her hands, letting it rattle as she did so._

_ "Really! Just keep them!"_

Ash figured Misty must have already taken too many of those Xanax things that Daisy had.

His suspicions were confirmed when he looked over to find his lover stumbling up back from the airport's bar.

"Xanax and alcohol," Ash grumbled to himself. "So she's wasted. Great." He let his head fall back into his hands

_This is going to be a _long _flight._

* * *

**Originally, I was going to write the entire plane ride, but, um, then I didn't. Maybe one day! I need to do like Twenty-Six Outtakes or something. XD And I know that Misty actually has been flying before but I make my own rules. XD_  
_**


	25. Twenty-Five: Yes

**Yeah, so, it turns out I'm actually alive!  
**

**I just, uh, haven't updated in...a while. I, um, have, uh, a life, you know?  
**

**Lol, no I don't. Just school. So much school.**

**So. Much.**

**DAMN IT, COLLEGE PREP SCHOOLS. **

**I mean, yeah, um, anyway, I'm done with this rambling babbling bullshit. Please enjoy this chapter of _Twenty-Six_. :3**

* * *

_**Yes**_

"Hey, Ash?"

Ash chewed off a bite of his ham sandwich. The two sat comfortably at a hole-in-the-wall diner in Cerulean.

"Yeah?"

_"Do you ever think about getting married?"_

Misty cringed. No, no, she couldn't possibly say _that._

The gym leader watched as bits of ham and bread fell from her boyfriend's mouth and onto the plate below him. She was appalled. In fact, Misty was so appalled that she completely forgot what she was going to ask the trainer before her.

Or at least, that's what she'd have him think.

"That's disgusting."

Ash swallowed and raised an eyebrow.

"That's not really what you were going to ask, is it?" Before Misty could retort, he continued. "We've been dating long enough, and I've known you even longer, so I think I know when something's bothering you." Ash paused at Misty's wide-eyed reaction across the table and took another bite of the sandwich. He took a quick glance at Misty's half-eaten roast beef. "Even if 'm a li'l shtupid shometimes," he added through his mouthful.

"A little," Misty grumbled, folding her arms.

_"We've been dating long enough, and I've known you even longer."_

That was just it. They'd been dating for three years now, and they'd lived together for one. Wasn't it time to take the next step?

Misty suddenly noticed Ash's snapping fingers in her face, and Pikachu pawing at her lap.

"Pikachupi?" Misty awkwardly patted him on the head. The rodent cocked a long ear.

He knew something was up.

"Gee, Misty, are you alright?" Ash uttered through yet another glob of ham. The worried glances he shot between her and her roast beef sandwich led Misty to believe he'd forgotten about whatever it was she wanted to ask him.

"Ou've 'ardly touched 'our 'andwich."

The water trainer cringed again, although this time it really was because of her lover's eating habits.

And maybe because he was too dense to marry her.

Misty face-palmed.

* * *

After lunch, Misty hurriedly announced that her lunch break was over and scurried back to the Cerulean Gym. Ash parted with her cheerfully and called out Charizard on the empty sidewalk by the diner.

"Charizard, buddy, are you up for a little fly? Whaddya' say we visit Mom in Pallet?"

"Rrrroooooooaaaaaarr!"

Ash chuckled and swung his leg over Charizard's back. Pikachu latched himself firmly on his trainer's shoulder.

"Alright, guys, let's go!"

Following a short flight, Ash, Pikachu, and Charizard found themselves in Delia Ketchum's garden. The Kanto champion felt a familiar sense of panic, but couldn't quite place the feeling. Ash slowly glanced around the garden, eying the surrounding picket fence. He noticed a discreet warning label on the fence, and distinctly remembered his Christmas gift to his own mother: an electric fencing system with a completely built-in motion sensor and alarm system.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"RRROOOAAAARRRRRRR!"

"PPPIIIIIIIKKKAAAAAA!"

The three cries of pain rang out simultaneously, but not without:

"INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT."

And then:

"MIME, MIME, MIME, MR. MIME!"

Followed by:

"OH, I'M GOING TO GET YOU, YOU AWFUL VEGETABLE SNATCHERS! I HAVE HALF THE MIND TO TAKE THOSE CARROTS AND SHOVE THEM SO FAR U-"

Ash, Charizard, and Pikachu lay fried in the center of Delia's garden as she rushed out with a broomstick, with quick-to-aid Mr. Mime hot on her heels. The pair came to a quick halt as Delia lowered her broom upon recognizing her son's charred face.

"Oh, it's just Ash!" Delia smiled and bashfully hid the broom behind her back, blushing lightly. "I wasn't expecting you, honey!"

"Mime!" the apron clad Pokémon agreed.

"I wasn't expecting _this_," Ash groaned, picking himself up off the ground. Pikachu shook himself off, and Charizard huffed flames out his nostrils, annoyance clearly playing upon his dragon-like features. Ash quickly recalled him, hoping a good rest would right his mood.

"Well, sweetheart, you _did _give me the Garden Protection Package 8000!" Delia giggled, embracing her burnt son.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Ash laughed in spite of himself. He squeezed his mother tightly before they let go.

"Pika!"

"Well, hello there, Pikachu!" Delia added, picking Pikachu up from the grass. "You're so big and strong, aren't you? Let's get you a nice treat!"

Ash watched as his mother turned on her heel and carried Pikachu into the house.

"But, Mom! I'm your son! You should be coddling me!" Ash whined. Mimey latched himself onto Ash's hip.

"Mime!"

Ash rolled his eyes and dragged them both inside.

"This day keeps getting weirder and weirder," he grumbled.

* * *

"So, Ash, how are things with Misty?" Delia asked over her mug of tea. In reality, Delia knew exactly how things were going. Misty had called three days ago, expressing her impatience with Ash for not proposing already. Normally, Delia wouldn't have pegged Misty as the type to yearn for marriage in such a way, but after three years of dating, Delia conceded that Misty was in the right and agreed to speak to Ash for her.

Ash, unbeknownst to the situation before him, sat across the kitchen table shoving cookies into his mouth. Pikachu snatched a cookie with his jaws and scurried into the living room, undoubtedly looking for a spot in which to nap.

"Well," Ash gasped between bites, "I'm pretty sure they're great! I mean, she makes me really happy, and I really love her, and we're living together, and it's great, so, great!" Ash babbled.

"Then why aren't you married?"

Ash choked.

"Mimey!" Delia called casually, as she watched her son's arms flail wildly about, while his face slowly changed shades. Mr. Mime rushed in immediately and stared expectantly at his master. "Could you help Ash out, please? He seems to have choked on his bad table manners."

"Mr. Mime!" the mime Pokémon complied, giving Ash's back one mighty pound as his face turned blue.

Coughing echoed throughout the quaint kitchen.

Ash gasped for air, his face slowly returning to its normal color. Mimey placed a glass of water in front of him, grinning gleefully, as always.

"Now," Delia continued after a sip of tea, as if the conversation had never been interrupted, "Why aren't you and Misty married? I expect legitimate grandchildren, Ash Ketchum!"

Ash watched in confusion as his mother pointed sternly at him.

"But, Mom, why does getting married even matter? It's a piece of paper. Isn't it more important that Misty and I are in love and we know it?"

Delia lowered her finger.

_This is one of those rare streaks of genius this boy has..._

"Well," the older woman conceded, "You are right... But have you considered that maybe that piece of paper matters to Misty?"

"But why?" Ash asked, once again.

"It just does, Ash," Delia sighed. "Girls like those things. A marriage certificate is a symbol of your love. A real, tangible symbol. I know for a fact that that symbol would mean the world to Misty, even if it doesn't mean anything to you."

"But, Mom, it's not that the piece of paper doesn't mean anything, it's that Misty means _everything._" Ash gazed under the bill of his hat, hard into his mother's matching eyes. "And what..." Ash stopped and closed his eyes tightly. "What if she says no? Then what?"

Delia sipped her tea thoughtfully.

"Oh, Ash, open your eyes!"

Ash complied, blinking rapidly.

Delia pursed her lips, trying not to laugh. "I meant metaphorically."

"Oh," Ash said simply. The practiced mother waited patiently for the coming question.

"What do you mean?"

"The girl is madly in love with you. Buy a ring," Delia articulated slowly.

"Oh."

Mother and son held eye contact.  
"So... You mean... An engagement ring, right?"

"Yes, Ash."

"And you really think she'll say yes?"

"Yes, Ash."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

* * *

**Originally, I was going to write Ash actually proposing to Misty, but I wasn't feeling it. I didn't think it was going to be very in-character, so this happened instead. I'm pretty satisfied with it. :)  
**

**Maybe I won't take a long time to get Z out. **

**Except I probably will.  
**

**...**

**I'll at least try not to. XD**


End file.
